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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
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4 


V 


* 


RECOMMENDATIONS 


From  Rev . Samuel  H.  Cox , D . D .,  Brooklyn , iV.  Y. 

“ Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  8,  1845. 

“ I have  examined  at  some  length  the  Chronological  View  of  tub 
World,  exhibiting  the  leading  Events  of  Universal  History , &e.  &c* 
&c.,  by  Daniel  Haskel,  A.  M.,  a volume  lately  extant,  and  purporting 
to  be  a manual  for  general  use  ; and  am  pleased  with  the  performance. 
So  far  as  my  scrutiny  extends,  I find  the  dates  correct  and  well  arranged, 
as  well  as  richly  miscellaneous,  and  luminously  methodical.  It  is  digested 
from  authentic  sources,  and  continued  to  the  present  time.  As  a vade- 
mecum , or  daily  companion,  for  the  man  of  general  reading,  or  the  pro- 
fessional scholar,  it  will  be  found,  I think,  practical,  valuable,  and  more 
useful,  than  any  compendium  of  the  sort  known  to  me.  As  such,  I am 
free  and  happy  to  give  it  my  testimony  and  best  wishes — that  its  deserts 
may  be  crowned  with  an  adequate  patronage.  Certainly  it  belongs  to  a 
very  important  class  of  topics  and  interests  in  the  walks  of  general  litera- 
ture*— -a  class  too  much  neglected  even  by  the  educated  and  the  eminent 

“ Samuel  H.  Cox.” 

From  the  New  York  Evangelist. 

“ This  is  a very  ingenious  and  comprehensive  work.  The  memory  of 
dates,  the  succession  of  nations,  and  names  of  eminent  historic  personages, 
is  greatly  assisted  by  the  arrangement  of  the  chart,  presenting  a bird’s-eye 
view  of  the  course  of  time,  which,  if  once  seen,  can  scarcely  be  forgotten 
It  is  undoubtedly  a great  auxiliary  to  the  study  of  history  and  chronology, 
and  every  student  will  feel  grateful  for  the  skilful  arrangement,  and  the 
accuracy  and  finish  of  its  execution. 

“ The  chart  is  accompanied  with  a volume,”  [A  Chronological  View 
of  the  World,  &c.,]  “ also  of  great  value.  It  is  the  labor  of  an  accom- 
plished scholar,  and  condenses  an  incredible  amount  of  information,  which 
no  intelligent  reader  can  do  without,  in  a small,  convenient  space ; and, 
what  is  more,  its  accuracy  is  unquestionable.” 

From  the  New  York  Observer. 

“ This  will  be  found  to  be  a full  and  particular  view  of  the  events  ot 
Universal  History,  and  such  a book  as  the  scholar  will  always  be  pleased 
to  have  at  hand,  for  reference  and  review.  Its  value  will  be  increased  by 
Strass’s  Stream  of  Time,  an  historical  chart,  exhibiting  at  one  view  the 
various  revolutions  of  nations  and  the  course  of  empire,  from  the  creation 
to  the  present  time.  The  book,  though  prepared  to  accompany  this  chart 
of  history,  will  be  equally  well  fitted  for  separate  use,  and  the  whole  will 
greatly  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  n knowledge  of  Universal  History.” 

From  the  Journal  of  Commerce , N.  Y. 

“ This  work  is  adapted  equally  to  refresh  the  memory  of  the  adept  in 
Universal  History,  and  to  aid  the  student  in  pursuing  his  task.  It  forms 
a valuable  addition  to  the  private  library.  It  is  a concise  and  yet  full  ex- 
hibit^ of  the  whole  subject,  pleasingly  illustrated  by  anecdote,  and  entirely 
devoid  of  the  tediousness  of  bare  chronology.” 


2 


RECOMMENDATIONS. 


From  the  Morning  Courier  and  New  York  Enquirer. 

44  This  work  was  prepared  to  accompany  Strass’s  4 Stream  of  Time,  or 
Chart  of  Universal  History,’  though  it  is  equally  well  calculated  for  a sep- 
arate use.  The  book  contains  a rich  summary  of  the  facts  of  history, 
and  will  be  exceedingly  useful  to  the  scholar  for  reference  and  review.  It 
is  enlivened  by  many  anecdotes  and  facts  in  detail,  relieving  the  dryness 
of  a mere  chronological  table,  and  will  be  found  a valuable  aid  in  the 
study  of  Universal  History.” 


From  Mr.  N.  C.  Brooks , Principal  of  the  High  School,  Baltimore , Md 
44  I have  examined  the  4 Chart  of  History  and  Chronology,’  from  the 
German  of  Strass,  and  am  pleased  to  give  it  my  unqualified  recommenda- 
tion. I am  acquainted  with  no  other  plan  calculated  to  give  a knowledge 
of  the  great  epochs,  and  events  of  history  and  chronology,  in  so  short  a 
time.  A copy  should  be  in  every  family,  academy,  and  school.  To  the 
politician  also,  the  divine,  the  man  of  letters,  and  the  general  reader,  it 
will  be  found  of  invaluable  service. 

44  Respectfully  yours,  N.  C.  Brooks  ” 


In  the  above  views  we  agree  with  Mr.  N.  C.  Brooks  : 
James  O.  Law,  Mayor, 

Rev.  B.  Waugh, 

44  T.  Sargent, 

44  Benson  Head, 

44  G.  C.  M.  Roberts,  M.  P., 

44  Wm.  Hamilton, 

44  I.  P.  Cook, 

44  Henry  V.  D.  Johns,  D.  D., 
Robert  H.  Archer, 


► Baltimore. 


Rev  Charles  B.  Dana, 

44  J.  T.  Johnson, 

44  Joshua  N.  Dan  forth, 
Bernard  Hooe, 

C.  S.  Hallowell  & Broth., 
Alexandria  Boarding  School, 
W.  W.  Seaton,  Mayor, 

Rev.  W.  Matthews, 

44  James  Curley, 

44  T.  Sewall, 

44  James  Laurie, 

44  J.  W.  French, 

44  Wm.  Hawley, 

44  H.  Stringfellow, 

44  J.  S.  Bacon, 

Thomas  Sewall,  M.  D. 

T.  L.  Smith, 

Henry  L.  Ellsworth, 


► Alexandria. 


► W ashington. 


Rev.  S.  G.  Gassaway, 
44  C.  M.  Butler, 

44  James  M’Vean, 
44  S.  A Roszel, 

II.  A.  Burr, 


► Georgetown. 


A 


CHRONOLOGICAL  VIEW  OF  THE  WORLD; 

EXHIBITING  THE 

LEADING  EVENTS  OF  UNIVERSAL  HISTORY, 

THE  ORIGIN  AND  PROGRESS  OF  THE  ARTS  AND  SCIENCES 

THE  OBITUARY  OF  DISTINGUISHED  MEN,  AND  THE 
PERIODS  IN  WHICH  THEY  FLOURISHED  ; 

TOGETHER  WITH  AN  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  APPEARANCE  O F C OMET S,. 

AND  A COMPLETE  VIEW  OF  THE  FALL  OF  METEORIC ^ STONES, 
IN  ALL  AGES 

COLLECTED  CHIEFLY  FROM  THE  ARTICLE  “ CHRONOLOGY”  IN  THE 
NEW  EDINBURGH  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

EDITED  BY  SIR  DAVID  BREWSTER,  LL.  D.,  F.  R.  S. 


WITH 

AN  ENLARGED  VIEW  OF  IMPORTANT  EVENTS, 

PARTICULARLY  IN  REGARD  TO  AMERICAN  HISTORY, 

AND 

A CONTINUATION  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME, 
CcHectc^  from  ^utfcenttc  -Sources. 

BY  DANIEL  HASKEL,  A.  M., 

CD ITOR  OF  M’CULLOCH’S  UNIVERSAL  GAZETTEER,  AND  AUTHOR  OF  THE  ARTICLES 
RELATING  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES,  IN  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


NEW  YORK 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  H.  COLTON, 

No.  86  CEDAR- STREET. 

1848, 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1845, 

By  J.  H.  COLTON, 

in  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


PREFACE, 


This  volume  is  intended  to  accompany  and  illustrate 
Strass’s  Stream  of  Time  or  Chart  of  Universal  History,  as 
happily  adapted  to  English  literature,  by  Dr.  Irving  of  Gr  at 
Britain.  The  illustration  at  the  bottom  of  the  chart  will  suf- 
ficiently explain  its  use.  It  is  a complete  bird’s-eye  view  of 
Universal  History,  and  by  a careful  inspection  of  it,  will 
convey  a more  complete  view  of  the  subject  than  can  other- 
wise be  obtained  in  the  same  time.  The  following  concise 
work  is  chiefly  taken,  as  the  title  indicates,  from  the  article 
Chronology,  in  Sir  David  Brewster’s  New  Edinburgh  Ency- 
clopedia, a work  of  great  and  deserved  reputation ; and  like 
all  the  articles  in  that  work,  it  is  very  complete  of  its  kind. 
It  contains  a much  more  full  view  of  the  events  of  Universal 
History  than  could  be  indicated  in  the  body  of  the  chart,  and 
will  greatly  aid  the  study  of  history  by  the  use  of  it.  The  facts 
recorded  in  this  volume  are  exceedingly  numerous  and  very 
much  compressed,  and  are  not  designed  so  much  for  con- 
tinuous reading,  as  for  reference  and  review.  For  continuous 
reading  there  are  numerous  universal  histories  of  all  dimen- 
sions, which  can  everywhere  be  obtained,  but  after  such 
reading,  this  more  concise  and  comprehensive  work  will  be 
exceedingly  useful  for  a review  of  the  whole  subject,  and 
even  of  itself  will  furnish  an  extensive  view  of  Universal 
History,  and  will  greatly  add  to  the  value  of  the  chart. 
With  regard  to  the  additions  to  the  work  of  Sir  David  Brew- 
ster, the  object  has  been,  by  enlarging  many  of  the  articles, 
to  present  the  subject  somewhat  more  in  detail,  and  to  relieve 
the  dryness  of  a mere  chronological  table ; to  add  important 
particulars  not  contained  in  the  work  from  which  it  is  taken, 
particularly  in  regard  to  American  history ; and  to  continue 
the  whole  to  the  present  time.  The  extent  of  this  concise 
work  did  not  allow  of  doing  this  but  in  a limited  form ; to 
have  done  it  fully,  would  have  been  to  write  a voluminous 


4 


PREFACE. 


history,  which  would  have  been  inconsistent  with  the  design, 
and  has  been  purposely  avoided. 

Professor  F.  Strass  of  Klosterbergen,  Magdeburg,  pub- 
lished his  Chart  or  Stream  of  History,  together  with  an  intro- 
ductory pamphlet,  for  the  purpose  of  affording  instruction  to 
the  corps  of  cadets  at  Berlin,  Of  this  chart,  what  Dr.  Priestley 
says  in  his  Lectures  on  History,  respecting  an  older  chart 
originally  compiled  in  France,  and  afterwards  published  in 
England  and  in  the  United  States,  may  be  affirmed  with 
greater  emphasis:  “ This  is  properly  a picture  of  all  history, 
and  is  made  by  such  natural  methods  of  expression,  that  it 
renders  visible  to  the  eye,  without  reading,  the  whole  figure 
and  dimensions  of  all  history,  general  and  particular  ; and  so 
perfectly  shows  the  origin,  progress,  extent,  and  duration,  of 
all  kingdoms  and  states  that  ever  existed,  at  one  view,  with 
every  circumstance  of  time  and  place,  uniting  chronology 
and  geography,  that  it  not  only,  in  the  most  agreeable  man- 
ner, refreshes  the  memory,  without  the  fatigue  of  reading ; 
but  a novice  in  history  may  learn  more  from  it  by  a mere 
attentive  inspection  of  a few  hours,  than  he  can  acquire  by 
the  reading  of  many  weeks  or  months.55  The  chart  of  Strass 
is  a much  more  complete  work  than  that  of  which  Dr.  Priest- 
ley, an  eminently  competent  judge,  made  the  above  remarks. 
Nothing  needs  to  be  added,  but  that  when  the  names  of  dis- 
tinguished persons  are  inserted  in  the  book,  the  time  in  which 
they  flourished  is  denoted,  and  when  the  letters  ob.,  (obiit,) 
followed  by  a date  are  added,  it  denotes  the  time  when  they 
died. 


INTRODUCTION. 


COMPARATIVE  CHRONOLOGY. 

The  following  table  will  point  out  the  relation  between  tlie 
principal  seras  which  are  used  in  History. 

The  Creation  of  the  World  corresponds  to 

The  year  4004  before  Christ. 

The  year  710  of  the  Julian  period 

The  year  3251  before  the  foundation  of  Rome. 

The  1st  year  of  the  Olympiads  corresponds  to 

The  year  776  before  Christ. 

The  year  3228  of  the  Creation  of  the  World. 

The  year  23  before  the  foundation  of  Rome. 

The  year  3938  of  the  Julian  Period. 

The  Foundation  of  Rome  corresponds  to 

The  year  753  before  Christ. 

The  year  3251  of  the  Creation  of  the  World 
The  year  4 of  the  6th  Olympiad. 

The  year  3961  of  the  Julian  Period. 

The  vulgar , or  Christian  cera , corresponds  to 

The  year  4004  of  the  Creation  of  the  World. 

The  year  1 of  the  195th  Olympiad. 

The  year  753  of  the  foundation  of  Rome. 

The  year  4714  of  the  Julian  Period. 

The  Hegira  corresponds  to 

The  year  622  of  the  Christian  iEra. 

The  year  4626  of  the  Creation  of  the  World, 

The  year  3 of  the  348th  Olympiad. 

The  year  1375  of  the  foundation  of  Rome. 

The  year  5338  of  the  Julian  Period. 

1* 


> . ' 


■ 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE  WORLD 


4004.  The  world  created  near  the  autumnal  equinox,  on 
Sunday,  October  23.* 

5872,  according  to  the  Septuagint. 

4700,  according  to  the  Samaritan  text. 

Adam  and  Eve  created  on  Friday,  Oct.  28. — The 
chronology  here  followed  is  that  of  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures,  which  is  generally  regarded  as  the  most 
correct.  The  difference  between  this  and  the  Sa- 
maritan text,  and  that  of  the  Septuagint,  relates  only 
to  the  different  lengths  assigned  to  the  lives  of  some 
of  the  patriarchs,  and  is  productive  of  no  change  in 
regard  to  other  events. 

4003.  Cain  born. 

3875.  Abel  is  murdered  by  Cain. 

3874.  Seth  born. 

3382.  Enoch  born  translated  to  heaven,  3017,  set.  365. 

3317.  Methuselah  born.  Fie  died  at  the  age  of  969. 

2948.  Noah  born.  He  died  at  the  age  of  950. 

2446.  Shem  born.  He  died  at  the  age  of  600. 


Patriarchs  before  the  Deluge . 

Years.  Years. 

1.  Adam  lived  930,  and  begat  Seth  at  the  age  of  130. 


2.  Seth  “ 912, 

3.  Enos  “ 905, 

4.  Cainan  “ 910, 

5.  Mahalaleel  895, 

6.  Jared  “ 962, 

7.  Enoch  “ 365, 

8.  Methuselah  969, 

9.  Lamech  “ 777, 


Enos 
Cainan  “ 
Mahalaleel 
Jared  “ 
Enoch  “ 
Methuselah 
Lamech  “ 
Noah  “ 


105. 

90. 

70. 

65. 

162. 

65. 

187. 

182. 


10.  Noah,  at  the  period  of  the  deluge,  was  aged  600. 

The  period  of  the  deluge  from  the  creation  was  1656. 
• According  to  Archbishop  Usher’s  Annals  of  the  Old  and  New  Test 


CHRONOLOGY 


8 

B.  C. 

2349.  Noah  entered  the  ark  on  Sunday,  Nov.  30,  and  it  be- 
gan to  rain  bn  Sunday,  Dec.  7. 

2348.  The  delugee  On  Wednesday,  May  6,  the  ark  rested 
on  mount  Ararat.  On  Friday,  Dec.  18,  Noah  left 
the  ark. — -Incredulous  persons  have  thought  it  impos- 
sible that  the  ark  should  have  contained  a species  of 
all  animals,  and  the  provisions  necessary  for  their 
sustenance  for  a whole  year.  To  this  objection  only 
one  remark  can  be  made : namely,  that  the  fact  is 
recorded,  and  the  admeasurements  of  the  ark  are 
designated  in  Holy  Writ.  This  immense  machine 
was  upwards  of  150  fathoms  in  circumference,  and 
consequently  four  times  more  capacious  than  the 
largest  men-of-war,  which  contain  crews  of  700  or 
800  men  ; with  as  many  troops,  and  provisions  for 
their  support  during  a period  of  six  months,  being 
further  burdened  with  rigging,  and  more  than  90 
guns,  with  the  necessary  ammunition ; an  immense 
weight,  which  would  appear  almost  incredible,  had 
we  not  ocular  demonstration  of  the  fact.  Conse- 
quently we  have  only  to  quadruple  the  weight  in 
question,  in  order  to  be  convinced  of  the  possibility 
of  maintaining  in  such  a structure,  for  the  period  of 
a year,  eight  individuals,  with  the  animals  which  the 
Almighty  thought  it  expedient  to  rescue  from  the 
deluge.  It  has  been  computed  that  all  the  animals 
contained  in  the  ark  would  not  equal  the  bulk  of  500 
horses,  and  others  make  them  equal  to  400  oxen. 

2247.  The  tower  of  Babel  is  built  in  the  valley  of  Shinar  by 
Noah’s  posterity  the  confusion  of  their  languages, 
and  their  dispersion  among  different  nations.  Differ- 
ent opinions  have  been  entertained  as  to  the  object  for 
which  the  tower  of  Babel  was  erected.  That  it  was 
designed  to  furnish  a place  of  refuge  in  case  of  an- 
other deluge,  is  a childish  conceit.  It  was  probably 
designed,  by  its  vast  height,  to  serve  as  a land-mark 
to  guide  any  of  the  wandering  tribes  back  who  might 
stray  from  the  parent  settlement,  and  thus  to  preserve 
them  as  one  great  people  ; but  it  proved  the  occasion 
of  their  dispersion. 

The  sons  of  Noah— Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet — at  the 
dispersion  founded  various  nations.  Shem  and  his 


OF  THE  WORLD 


9 


descendants  peopled  a part  of  Asia,  particularly 
Persia,  Assyria,  the  kingdom  of  Lydia  in  Asia  Minor, 
Mesopotamia,  and  Syria  ; Ham  and  his  sons  peopled 
Arabia,  Egypt,  Lybia,  and  the  land  of  Canaan ; Ja- 
phet  and  his  descendants  proceeded  to  the  west  and 
nortff,  and  from  them  originated  the  Scythians,  the 
Thracians,  the  Macedonians,  and  the  Cymbrians. 
The  countries  fofunded  by  the  descendants  of  Japhet 
have  been  significantly  called  the  warehouse  of  na- 
tions. 

2237.  About  this  time  Noah  is  supposed  to  have  left  the  re- 
bellious portion  df  his  offspring,  and  to  have  led  a 
colony  of  the  more  tractable  into  the  east,  where  he, 
or  one  of  his  successors,  founded  the  Chinese  mon- 
archy. The  early  improvement  and  populousness  of 
the  east,  seems  to  favor  this  idea.  Noah  lived  350 
years  after  the  deluge,  yet  nothing  is  said  of  him  in 
the  sacred  record  after  the  dispersion,  which  occur- 
red 101  years  after  that  event,  but  the  time  of  his 
death. 

2234.  Astronomical  observations  begun  at  Babylon,  a regis- 
ter of  which  was  transmitted  by  Callisthenes  to  Aris- 
totle for  1903  years,  to  the  capture  of  that  city  by 
Alexander  in  the  year  331  B.  C. 

2221.  Nimrod  founds  the  Chaldean  monarchy. — Nimrod  was 
the  son  of  Cush,  and  the  grandson  of  Ham,  and  is 
called  in  the  scripture,  Belus.  He  first  gained  his 
dominion  by  his  skill  and  bravery  in  destroying  wild 
beasts,  an  important  service  in  those  days  ; and  he 
improved  his  influence  and  power  to  found  a king- 
dom, the  seat  of  which  was  Babylon,  on  the  Eu- 
phrates, not  far  from  the  spot  where  the  tower  of  Ba. 
bel  was  built.  This  was  called  the  first  Assyrian 
kingdom. 

2205.  The  first  imperial  dynasty  of  China,  called  Kia,  be- 
gins. See  Mem.  Inscript,  tom.  xviii.  p.  220. 

2188.  The  kingdom  of  Egypt  commences  under  Menes  or 
Misraim,  which  lasted  for  1663  years,  to  the  conquest 
of  Cambyses,  in  the  year  525  B.  C.- — Egypt  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  nations  of  antiquity  ; distin- 
guished for  its  populousness,  its  civilization,  and  its 
improvements  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  The  annual 


10  CHRONOLOGY 

B.  C. 

overflowing  of  the  Nile  inundates  the  country,  and 
when  it  subsides  leaves  a deposite  of  rich  mud  on  the 
soil,  rendering  it  exceedingly  fertile.  This  fertility, 
by  rendering  it  easy  to  obtain  subsistence,  favored 
the  increase  of  population,  and  the  ease  and  plenty 
in  which  they  lived  gave  leisure  for  the  cultivation  of 
the  arts  and  sciences.  They  excelled  in  geometry, 
astronomy,  and  arithmetic.  Geometry  is  believed  to 
have  been  found  out  in  Egypt,  and  to  have  resulted 
from  the  frequent  setting  out  and  admeasurement  of 
the  lands,  as  the  boundaries  were  obliterated  by  the 
inundation  of  the  Nile.  They  had  considerable 
knowledge  of  astronomy,  had  observed  the  motion  of 
the  planets,  they  had  divided  the  zodiac  into  12  signs 
of  30  degrees  each,  and  had  ascertained  the  precise 
length  of  the  year  very  near  to  the  truth.  The  most 
enlightened  Greeks  derived  much  of  their  knowledge 
of  the  Egyptians  by  visiting  that  country  and  con- 
versing with  their  priests,  who  were  among  the  most 
learned  people  of  antiquity.  This  was  particularly 
true  of  Thales,  Pythagoras,  the  early  author  of  the 
Copernican  system,  of  Anaximander,  Anaxagoras, 
and  of  Plato  and  his  scholars  in  after  times. 

2089.  The  kingdom  of  Sicyon  established,  which  lasts  1000 
years. 

2059.  The  kingdom  of  Assyria  begins. 

1996.  Abraham  born.  He  died  1821  B.  C.,  set.  175.— Abra- 
ham was  the  tenth  grand  patriarch  after  the  deluge. 


1. 

Shem  the 

father  of  Arphaxad  lived 

Years. 

600. 

2. 

Arphaxad 

“ Salah 

a 

438. 

3. 

Salah 

ct  Heber 

u 

433. 

4. 

Heber 

“ Peleg 

C6 

464. 

5. 

Peleg 

“ Reu 

(( 

239. 

6. 

Reu 

“ Serug 

ee 

239. 

7. 

Serug 

66  Nahor 

(( 

230. 

8. 

Nahor 

“ Terah 

u 

148. 

9. 

Terah 

“ Abraham 

(C 

145. 

10. 

Abraham 

175. 

1897.  Circumcision  instituted.  The  cities  of  Sodom,  &c. 
destroyed. 


OF  TIIE  WORLD. 


11 


B.  C. 

1896.  Isaac  born. 

1856.  The  kingdom  of  Argos  begins. 

1827.  The  17th  dynasty  of  the  six  shepherd  kings  in  Egypt 
begins,  and  continues  103  years. 

1822.  The  letters  invented  by  Memnon,  the  Egyptian. 

1796.  The  reign  of  Ogyges  begins. 

1766.  The  second  imperial  dynasty  of  China,  called  Chang, 
begins. 

1764.  The  deluge  of  Ogyges,  which  laid  waste  Attica  for 
more  than  200  years. 

1759.  Jacob  goes  to  Haran,  and  marries  the  two  daughters 
of  his  uncle. 

1728.  Joseph  sold  into  Egypt. 

1718.  Sparta  built  by  Spartes.  See  Rollin. 

1702.  All  the  lands  in  Egypt  sold  to  Joseph. 

1689.  Jacob  predicts  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  dies 
set.  147. 

1635.  Joseph  foretells  the  egress  of  the  Israelites  from  Egypt, 
and  dies  set.  110,  having  been  praefect  of  Egypt  for 
80  years. 

1615.  The  Ethiopians  from  the  Indus  settle  near  Egypt. 

1582.  The  chronology  of  the  Arundelian  marbles  begins, 
when  Cecrops  is  supposed  to  have  come  into  Attica. 
The  chronicles  known  by  the  appellation  of  the 
Parian  or  Arundelian  marbles,  are  engraved  in  large 
Greek  capitals,  and  were  discovered  in  the  Isle  of 
Paros,  one  of  the  Cyclades,  at  the  commencement  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  They  were  conveyed  to 
England  by  the  order  of  the  Earl  of  Arundel,  whose 
grandson  caused  them  to  be  deposited  in  the  library 
at  Oxford.  The  chronicle  was  engraved  in  the  year 
264  before  Christ ; it  commences  with  the  foundation 
of  Athens  in  1582,  and  concludes  in  the  year  364 
B.  C.  This  valuable  remnant  of  antiquity  has  been 
the  means  of  rectifying  many  statements  in  the  an- 
cient history  of  Greece,  as  well  as  the  heroic  and 
fabulous  periods,  &c.  The  marbles  of  Paros  were 
translated  by  Selden  in  1628,  and  by  Prideaux  in 
1676. 

1575.  Pharaoh  orders  all  the  children  of  the  Israelites  to  be 
drowned. 

1571.  Moses  born. 


12 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

1570.  Pyramids  of  Egypt  built. — The  Pyramids  of  Egypt, 
the  largest  of  which  measures  on  one  side  693  Eng. 
lish  feet  in  height,  have  been  deservedly  classed 
among  the  wonders  of  the  world.  The  superficial 
content  of  the  ground  on  which  this  pyramid  stands 
is  480,249  feet,  or  something  more  than  11  English 
acres.  The  direct  height  of  it  is  481  feet,  which  is 
about  the  height  of  the  top  of  the  cupola  of  St.  Paul’s 
church  in  London.  The  three  principal  pyramids 
are  near  the  spot  where  Grand  Cairo  is  now  situated, 
and  near  the  site  of  ancient  Memphis.  The  four 
sides  of  the  great  pyramid  are  turned  exactly  to  the 
four  cardinal  points,  and  therefore  show  the  true 
meridian  of  that  place.  This  proves  that  the  meri 
dian  and  poles  of  the  earth  have  not  shifted  since 
their  erection,  and  evinces  the  considerable  advance- 
ment of  astronomical  observation  and  knowledge  a> 
that  period. 

1556.  Cecrops,  with  a colony  of  Saites  from  Egypt,  founds 
Athens. 

1546.  About  this  period  Scamander  comes  from  Crete  and 
founds  Troy. 

1531.  Moses  visits  the  Israelites ; flies  into  Midian,  and  con 
tinues  there  40  years. 

1503.  The  deluge  of  Deucalion  in  Thessaly,  placed  by  the 
Arundelian  marbles  in  1521. 

1500.  First  eruption  of  iEtna.  See  Collection  Acadtmique , 
tom.  vi.  p.  489. 

1497.  The  council  of  Amphictyons  established. 

1493.  The  Phoenician  letters  carried  into  Greece  by  Cadmus, 
who  built  the  citadel  of  Thebes. 

1491.  God  appears  in  a burning  bush  to  Moses,  and  sends 
him  into  Egypt.  Moses  performs  a number  of  mira- 
cles in  that  country,  and  departs  from  the  kingdom, 
together  with  600,000  Israelites,  besides  children  ; 
which  completed  the  430  years  of  sojourning.  They 
miraculously  pass  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  come  to 
the  desert  of  Sinai,  where  Moses  receives  from  God, 
and  delivers  to  the  people,  the  ten  commandments, 
and  the  other  laws,  and  sets  up  the  tabernacle,  and 
in  it  the  ark  of  the  covenant. 

1485.  The  first  ship  that  appeared  in  Greece,  brought  from 


OF  THE  WORLD.  13 

B.  C. 

Egypt  by  Danaus.  The  pump  supposed  to  have 
been  invented. 

1480.  Troy  supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Dardanus. 

1453.  The  first  Olympic  games  celebrated  at  Elis. 

1451.  Moses  dies,  set.  110.- — The  Israelites,  after  sojourning 
in  the  wilderness  forty  years,  are  led  by  Joshua  into 
the  land  of  Canaan,  where  they  fix  themselves,  after 
having  subdued  the  natives. 

1445.  Joshua  partitions  the  land  of  Canaan. 

1426.  Joshua  dies  at  Timnath-Serah,  set.  110. 

1406.  Minos  gives  laws  to  Crete.  Iron  found  from  the 
burning  of  the  woods  of  mount  Ida  in  Crete. 

1390.  Benjamin  almost  destroyed  by  the  other  11  tribes. 

1383.  Ceres  taught  the  Athenians  the  arts  of  agriculture, 
&c. 

1356.  The  Eleusinian  mysteries  introduced  at  Athens. 
These  constituted  a great  festival  observed  every 
fifth  year  at  Eleusis  in  Attica,  and  was  the  most  cele- 
brated of  all  the  religious  ceremonies  of  Greece.  They 
contained  mysteries  which  it  was  considered  sacri- 
legious and  highly  dangerous  to  reveal.  Both  sexes 
and  all  ages  were  initiated,  and  it  was  considered  a 
heinous  crime  to  neglect  this  sacred  part  of  their  re- 
ligion. This  was  one  of  the  heaviest  accusations 
against  Socrates  when  he  was  condemned  to  death. 
They  were  abolished  by  Theodosius  the  Great,  after 
having  subsisted  about  1800  years. — Each  city  of 
Greece  celebrated  festivals,  by  means  of  which  the 
inhabitants  were  assembled ; but  the  Pythian  or 
Delphic  games,  the  Isthmian , or  those  of  Corinth,  the 
Nemean , and  the  Olympian , were  the  four  grand  fes- 
tivities which  collected  all  the  population  of  Greece ; 
and  much  importance  was  attached  to  their  celebra- 
tion ; and  they  were  calculated  to  promote  good  fel- 
lowship, and  to  unite  the  inhabitants  of  the  several 
states,  as  well  as  to  subserve  other  purposes.  They 
were  instituted  at  different  times. 

1344.  The  kingdom  of  Mycenae  begins  about  this  time,  when 
the  kingdom  of  Argos  was  divided. 

1326.  The  Isthmian  games  instituted  by  Sysiphus. 

1325.  The  great  Egyptian  canicular  year  began  on  Satur- 
day, July  20,  and  consisted  of  1460  years. — As  the 
2 


14  CHRONOLOGY 

B.  C. 

inundation  of  the  Nile  was  announced  by  the  heliacal 
rising  of  Sirius,  which  was  made  to  correspond  with 
the  beginning  of  the  year,  it  was  soon  discovered 
that  the  heliacal  rising  of  this  star  advanced  nearly 
one  day  in  four  years,  and  that  in  the  space  of  1461 
years  it  would  complete  a whole  revolution,  till  it 
again  happened  on  the  day  originally  fixed  for  the 
commencement  of  the  year.  This  period,  which  was 
equal  to  1460  Julian  years,  was  called  the  great 
Egyptian  or  Canicular  year. — A star  is  said  to  rise 
heliacally  when  it  rises  so  near  the  sun’s  rising  as  to 
be  just  visible  before  it.  Sirius  was  called  also 
Canicula , or  the  Dog-star,  and  is  in  the  constellation 
of  Cams  Major , or  the  Great  Dog,  which  is  the 
brightest  in  the  heavens.  The  Egyptians  observing 
that  the  Nile  began  to  swell  at  a particular  rising  of 
this  star,  paid  it  divine  honors,  and  named  it  Sirius  ; 
from  Sir  is,  one  of  the  appellations  of  the  Nile. 

1307.  The  Olympic  games  instituted  by  Pelops. 

1300.  The  Lupercalia  instituted. 

1285.  Deborah  defeats  the  Canaanites  under  Sisera. 

1284.  The  Siculi  pass  out  of  Italy  into  Sicily  ; according  to 
others,  the  first  colony  arrived  in  1294,  and  a second 
in  1264. 

1263.  The  expedition  of  the  Argonauts  ; — according  to  oth- 
ers, in  1225.  About  this  time  the  Pythian  games 
were  instituted  by  Adrastus. — The  Argonautic  expe- 
dition was  undertaken  by  some  bold  and  adventurous 
navigators  who  quitted  Argos,  under  the  conduct  of 
Jason , penetrated  the  Euxine  sea  and  landed  at 
Colchis,  on  its  eastern  border.  This  place  was  a 
depot  for  the  merchandise  transported  from  the  In- 
dies. 

About  this  period  or  a little  earlier  flourished  Sancho- 
niathon , the  Phoenician  historian  of  Berytus,  who 
wrote  the  history  of  that  nation,  which  conceived  it- 
self to  be  the  most  ancient  in  the  world.  The 
Phoenicians  were  among  the  most  civilized  people 
throughout  the  east,  for  it  is  to  them  we  owe  naviga- 
tion, commerce,  and  the  first  principles  of  writing. 
After  the  productions  of  Moses,  those  of  Sanchonia- 
thon  are  the  most  ancient  extant,  dating  as  far  back 


B.  C. 


OF  THE  WORLD, 


15 


as  1440  years  before  the  Christian  sera,  500  years 
before  the  union  of  the  cities  of  Attica  under 
Theseus.  Sanchoniathon’s  history  was  translated 
into  Greek  by  Philo,  a native  of  Byblus,  who  lived 
in  the  reign  of  Adrian,  some  few  fragments  of  which 
are  handed  down  to  us  by  Eusebius,  &c. 

1252.  The  city  of  Tyre  built. 

1245.  Gideon  routs  the  Midianites. 

1243.  Arcadians  conducted  by  Evander  into  Italy. 

1234.  Theseus  establishes  a democracy  in  Attica,  and  re- 
news the  Isthmian  games  ; others  say  in  1231. 

1233.  Carthage  built  by  a colony  of  Tyrians. 

1225.  The  Theban  war  of  the  7 heroes  against  Eteocles. 

1222.  The  celebration  of  the  Olympic  games  by  Her- 
cules. 

1213.  Helen  carried  off  by  Theseus. 

1198.  Helen  carried  off  by  Paris  ; others  say  in  1204.- — • 
This  event  proved  the  origin  of  a war,  in  which  all 
the  princes  of  Greece  engaged  against  the  city  of 
Troy. 

1194.  The  Trojan  war  begins,  and  continues  10  years. — 
Agamemnon , king  of  Mycenae  and  Argos,  the  brother 
of  Menelaus,  whose  wife  Paris  had  carried  off,  was 
appointed  generalissimo  of  the  confederated  army  ; 
Menelaus  commanding  in  person  his  Lacedaemonian 
troops.  The  combined  Grecian  fleets,  consisting  of 
1200  sail,  and  102,000  combatants,  united  in  the  port 
of  Aulis , had  long  waited  for  a favorable  wind,  and 
at  length  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Troas,  and  began 
the  war.  The  Trojans  were  commanded  by  Hector , 
and  the  Dardanians  by  JEneas. 

1188.  Jephtha,  the  7th  judge  of  Israel  for  6 years,  his  rash 
vow  with  respect  to  his  daughter. 

1184.  Troy  burned  by  the  Greeks  on  the  11th  of  June,  408 
years  before  the  first  olympiad.  iEneas  sails  early 
in  autumn  for  Thrace. — The  city,  after  ten  years 
siege,  was  taken  by  stratagem ; by  means  of  a large 
wooden  horse,  hollowed  within  and  containing  armed 
men,  who  in  the  night  gained  access  to  the  city,  and 
admitted  their  friends,  and  put  every  thing  to  fire  and 
sword.  The  escape  of  iEneas  and  his  voyagers  un- 
til he  landed  in  Latium  in  Italy,  of  which  he  became 


16 
B.  C. 


CHRONOLOGY 


king,  constitutes  the  subject  of  the  iEneid,  the  poem 
of  Virgil,  so  justly  celebrated.  \ 

1182.  The  kingdom  of  the  Latins  begins  under  iEneas.  \ 

1179.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired 
by  the  Lydians. 

1176.  Salamis  in  Cyprus  built  by  Teucer. 

1157.  Eli  the  high  priest,  11th  judge  of  Israel  for  forty  years. 

1152.  The  city  of  Al&a-Longa  built  by  Ascanius. 

1141.  The  temple  of  Ephesus,  considered  the  most  magnifi- 
cent structure  in  the  world,  was  burned  down  by 
Erostratus.  This  temple  was  425  feet  long,  and  200 
feet  broad.  The  roof  was  supported  by  127  columns, 
60  feet  high,  many  of  which  were  beautifully  carved  ; 
the  whole  placed  there  by  so  many  kings.  It  soon 
rose  from  its  ruins  with  increased  splendor  and  mag- 
nificence. 

1136.  Samson  slays  3000  Philistines. 

1124.  The  migration  of  the  iEolian  colonies.  Thebes  built 
by  the  Boeotians. 

1122.  The  third  dynasty  of  China,  called  Tcheoo,  begins. 

1115.  The  mariner’s  compass  said  to  be  known  in  China. 

1104.  The  Heraclidse  return  into  Peloponnesus,  and  divide 
it.  The  kingdom  of  Lacedaemon  begins.  That  of 
Mycenae  ends. 

1088.  The  kingdom  of  Sicyon  ends  ; others  say  in  1130. 

1070.  Athens  governed  by  archons. 

1058.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired 
by  the  Pelasgians. 

1055.  Saul  kills  himself  on  mount  Gilboa. 

1048.  Jerusalem  taken  by  David  ; and  made  the  seat  of  his 
kingdom. 

1044.  The  Ionian  colonies  migrate  from  Greece. 

1023.  Absalom  rebels,  and  is  killed  by  Joab. 

1012.  Solomon  begins  to  build  the  temple. — He  collected 
immense  riches  for  the  purpose,  from  distant  coun- 
tries. Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  his  neighbor  and  ally, 
assisted  him  with  workmen  and  sailors. 

1000.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired 
by  the  Thracians,  who  hold  it  19  years. 

996.  Solomon’s  fleet  prepared  in  the  Red  Sea,  and  sent  to 
Ophir. 

992.  Solomon’s  palace  finished. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


17 


B.  C. 

986.  Samos,  in  the  island  of  the  same  name,  and  Utica* 
built  about  this  time. 

975.  The  kingdoms  of  Judah  and  Israel  divided.— This  was 
under  Rehoboam,  the  son  and  successor  of  Solomon* 
Two  tribes,  only  those  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  re- 
mained faithful  to  him,  and  formed  the  kingdom  of 
Judah.  The  other  ten  tribes  were  henceforward  de- 
nominated the  kingdom  of  Israel,  over  whom  reigned 
Jeroboam,  formerly  an  officer  in  Solomon’s  court. 

974  or  971.  Sesac,  king  of  Egypt,  takes  Jerusalem,  and 
plunders  the  temple. 

926.  Lycurgus,  the  Spartan  lawgiver,  born. 

916.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired  by 
the  Rhodians,  who  maintain  it  23  years. 

907.  Homer  wrote  his  poems  and  flourished.  No  less  than 
seven  illustrious  cities  disputed  for  the  glory  of  having 
given  birth  to  this  most  sublime  of  the  poets. 

900.  The  kingdom  of  Assyria  ends. 

896.  Elijah  the  prophet  taken  up  into  heaven. 

893.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired  by 
the  Phrygians. 

884.  Lycurgus,  after  travelling  10  years,  establishes  his 
laws  in  Lacedaemon. — Lycurgus  formed  a body  of 
peculiar  laws,  which  were  calculated  to  form  a singu- 
lar people.  He  established  a senate  of  28  persons, 
which  maintained  a just  equilibrium  between  the 
kings  and  the  people.  All  distinction  between  the 
people  was  destroyed,  by  an  impartial  division  among 
them  of  the  land.  Lycurgus  banished  luxury,  and 
encouraged  only  the  useful  arts.  The  use  of  money, 
either  of  gold  or  silver,  was  totally  forbidden,  and  iron 
money  was  substituted  in  its  place.  All  the  citizens 
dined  in  common,  and  no  one  had  greater  claims  to 
luxury  than  another.  Their  intercourse  with  other 
nations  was  forbidden,  and  few  were  permitted  to 
travel  abroad.  The  youths  were  intrusted  to  the 
public  master  as  soon  as  they  had  attained  their 
seventh  year,  and  their  education  was  left  to  the  wis- 
dom of  the  laws.  They  were  early  taught  to  think, 
and  to  answer  in  a short  and  laconic  manner,  and  to 
excel  in  repartee.  They  were  instructed  to  steal, 
provided  it  were  done  adroitly  ; but  if  the  theft  was 
2* 


CHRONOLOGY 


18 

B.  C. 

discovered,  they  were  severely  punished.  This  was 
done  to  prepare  them  for  stratagem  in  war.  His  laws 
were  well  fitted  to  rear  a nation  of  soldiers,  brave  and 
temperate  ; but  were  calculated  to  destroy  the  amia- 
ble domestic  affections.  The  women  were  brave  and 
warlike,  like  the  men,  but  had  nothing  of  that  soft- 
ness and  delicacy  which  are  the  greatest  ornaments 
of  the  female  character,  and  their  manners  are  said 
to  have  been  peculiarly  loose. 

The  Olympic  games  restored  at  Elis. 

872.  The  art  of  sculpture  in  marble  said  to  be  invented. 

869.  Scales  and  measures  invented  by  Phidon,  king  of  Ar- 
gos, who  also  coined  silver  at  iEgina.  The  city  of 
Carthage  built  by  Dido  ; others  say  it  was  enlarged 
by  her  in  864. 

868.  The  Cyprians  acquire  the  maritime  power  of  the  Med- 
iterranean. 

839.  The  kingdom  of  Judah  desolated  by  the  army  of  Ha- 
zael,  king  of  Syria. 

826.  The  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterranean  acquired  by 
the  Phoenicians. 

820.  Nineveh  taken  by  Arbaces  and  Belesis  ; Sardanapalus 
burns  himself  to  death. 

814.  Kingdom  of  Macedon  begins,  and  continues  646  years, 
till  the  battle  of  Pydna. 

801.  Capua,  in  Campania,  built. 

797.  Kingdom  of  Lydia  begins. 

790.  Amos  the  prophet  flourished.  He  prophesied  in  787. 

787.  The  Egyptians  acquire  the  maritime  power  of  the 
Mediterranean. 

786.  The  Corinthians  invented  ships  called  Triremes. 

779.  The  race  of  kings  terminated  at  Corinth,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  magistrates,  called  Prytanes,  elected  annu  • 
ally. 

f70.  Phul  invades  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  and  is  bribed  to 
depart  with  1000  talents. 

760.  Theopompus  establishes  the  Ephori  at  Lacedaemon. 

754.  The  decennial  archons  begin  at  Athens.  The  Mile- 
sians acquire  the  maritime  power  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean. 

753.  Rome  built,  according  to  Yarro,  April  the  20th,  or  the 
X2th  of  the  kalends  of  May. — Romulus  laid  the  foun- 


OF  THE  WORLD.  19 

B.  C. 

dation  of  Rome  upon  seven  neighboring  hills,  and 
though  humble  in  its  origin,  it  was  destined  at  length 
to  become  the  proud  mistress  of  the  world.  In  order 
speedily  to  increase  the  number  of  his  subjects,  he 
afforded  an  asylum  to  all  who  sought  a refuge  under 
nim,  and  collected  around  him  a company  of  out- 
laws, and  granted  the  rights  of  the  city  to  those  whom 
he  conquered  by  force  of  arms.  The  neighboring 
people  having  refused  to  ally  themselves  with  the  Ro- 
mans in  marriage,  the  latter  adopted  the  expedient  of 
forcibly  carrying  off  the  daughters  of  the  Sabines , 
who  had  been  led  from  curiosity  to  attend  the  cele- 
bration of  their  public  games.  This  act  of  violence 
caused  the  Sabines,  with  other  surrounding  people,  to 
make  war  upon  the  Romans  ; and  the  former  having 
gained  possession  of  the  fortress  upon  the  Tarpeian 
rock,  which  gave  them  great  advantage,  the  Sabine 
women,  who  seem  to  have  been  treated  with  respect 
and  kindness,  and  to  have  become  attached  to  their 
husbands,  precipitated  themselves  between  the  con- 
tending armies,  and  by  their  entreaties  calmed  the 
rage  of  the  combatants  ; when  it  was  agreed  that 
Romulus,  and  Tatius,  the  chief  of  the  Sabines,  should 
reign  jointly  over  Rome  ; which  they  did  for  six 
years. 

750.  The  rape  of  the  Sabines. 

747.  Union  of  the  Romans  and  Sabines.  The  sera  of  Na- 
bonassar  begins. 

743.  The  first  war  between  the  Messenians  and  Lacedaemo- 
nians begins,  and  continues  19  years. 

734.  The  Carians  acquire  the  command  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean. 

732.  Syracuse  built  by  a colony  of  Corinthians  under 
Archias  ; others  say  in  758. 

724.  The  first  Messenian  war  ended  by  the  capture  of 
Ithome,  which  subjected  them  to  the  Lacedaemoni- 
ans. 

722.  The  Chinese  empire  divided  into  principalities.  Con- 
fucius’s history  of  China  begins. 

721.  Samaria  taken,  after  three  years’  siege.  The  first 
eclipse  of  the  moon  on  record,  according  to  Ptolemy 
March  19th,  3 hours  20'  before  midnight. 


CHRONOLOGY 


20 

B.  C. 

720.  The  2d  and  3d  eclipses  of  the  moon  on  record  ; the  2d 
on  March  5th,  50'  before  midnight;  and  the  3d  on 
September  1st,  4 hours  20'  before  midnight,  according 
to  the  meridian  of  Alexandria. 

717.  Unsuccessful  siege  of  Tyre  for  about  five  years  by  Sal- 
manaser,  king  of  Assyria. 

713.  Gela  in  Sicily  founded.  Sennacherib’s  army  destroyed 
in  one  night  by  an  angel,  to  the  amount  of  185,000 
men. 

709.  The  Salii,  an  order  of  priests,  instituted  by  Numa. 

708.  Ecbatana  built  by  Dejoces. 

707.  Tarentum  built  by  the  Parthenians,  on  being  expelled 
from  Sparta,  t 

703.  Corcyra  built  by  the  Corinthians. 

696.  Isaiah  sawn  asunder  by  order  of*  Manasses. 

690.  Holofernes  besieged  Bethulia,  and  killed  by  Judith. 

686.  Archilochus  invented  the  Iambic  verse. 

685.  The  Messenian  war  continues  front  685  to  671. 

684.  Athens  governed  by  annual  archons.  Tyrtseus  the  poet 
flourished.  •'.£ 

683.  The  Lacedsemonians  defeated  By  Aristomenes.  * 

680.  Assaradinus,  king  of  Assyria,  takes  Babylon.  The 
chariot  race  instituted  at  the  Olympic  games.  \%  k 

678.  Dejoces  extends  Media  to  the  river  Halys. 

677.  Manasseh,  king  of  Judah,  carried  prisoner  to  Babylon. 

676.  The  Lesbians  acquire  the  command  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  retain  it  about  69  years. 

675.  The  annua!  festivals  of  Carnia  instituted  at  Sparta. 
Terpander  the  poet  the  first  victor. 

673.  Terpander  added  three  strings  to  the  lyre.  Thaletas 
of  Gortynius,  in  Crete,  the  musician. 

671.  The  second  Mes&enian  war  finished,  and  the  Messenians 
driven  from  the  Peloponnesus. 

670.  Aleman  of  Sardis,  the  lyric  poet. 

667.  The  combat  between  the  Horatii  and  the  Curiatii.  Tul- 
lius Hostilius,  the  3d  king  of  Rome,  was  chosen  suc- 
cessor of  Numa,  and*-  carried  on  a vigorous  war 
against  Alba,  a neighboring  city ; but  as  the  belliger- 
ent proceedings  were  productive  only  of  the  useless 
extermination  of  the  people  on  both  sides,  they  agreed 
to  decide  their  differences  by  a combat  which  should 
take  place  between  three  individuals  chosen  on  either 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


21 


B.  C. 

side.  The  Romans  in  consequence  elected  three 
brothers  named  the  Horajtii,  and  the  Albani  a like 
number  from  the  family  called  the  Curiatii.  Two  of 
the  former,  during  the  contest,  fell  mortally  wounded, 
while  the  third,  who  had  escaped  unhurt,  pretended  to 
fly,  and  turning  round  at  intervals  upon  his  opponents 
successively  killed  the  Curiatii.  Alba  was  destroyed 
three  years  after,  when  the  inhabitants  established 
themselves  at  Rome. 

665.  The  city  of  Alba  destroyed.  The  Messenians  settled 
in  Italy.  War  between  the  Romans  and  the  Fi- 
denates. 

659.  Cypselus  usurps  the  government  of  Corinth,  and  retains 
it  for  30  years. 

658.  Byzantium  built  by  a colony  of  Argives.  Others  place 
the  building  of  it  in  670. 

652.  A shower  of  meteoric  stones  fell  at  Mount  Alba. 

651.  A five  years’  war  between  the  Romans  and  Sabines  be- 
gins.  Cyrene  in  Africa  founded. 

648.  The  Thoth  of  the  year  of  Nabonassar  was  on  February 
1st,  having  shifted  25  days  in  100  years.  Thoth  was 
the  first  month  of  the  Egyptian  year,  and  the  length 
of  the  solar  year  was  determined  by  the  heliacal  rising 
of  Sirius  or  the  Dog-star.  This  common  year  con- 
sisted of  365  days,  which  being  less  than  the  truth 
caused  this  difference  to  occur  in  100  years.  After- 
wards they  corrected  this  by  causing  every  fourth 
year  to  consist  of  366  days,  which  is  very  near  the 
truth.  (See  article  on  year  1325.) 

641.  Amon,  king  of  Judah,  slain  by  his  servants. 

636.  The  Tartars  defeat  the  Chinese  with  great  slaughter. 

631.  War  between  the  Romans,  and  the  Fidenates  and  Sa- 
bines, which  continues  for  fifty  years. 

630.  Cyrene  built  by  Battus,  who  begins  that  kingdom. 

629.  The  government  of  Corinth  usurped  by  Periander. 

627.  Jeremiah  the  prophet  flourished. 

626.  Zephaniah  the  prophet  flourished. 

625.  The  Pentateuch  found  by  Hilkiah. 

624.  The  Scythians  invade  Media,  Lydia,  &c.  Draco,  the 
lawgiver,  archon  at  Athens. 

623.  Draco  establishes  his  laws  at  Athens.  When  he  exer- 
cised the  office  of  archon  he  formed  a code  of  laws 


CHRONOLOGY 


22 

Be  C. 

for  the  use  of  the  citizens,  which,  on  account  of  their 
severity,  were  said  to  be  written  in  blood.  He  pun- 
ished all  crimes  with  death,  alleging  that  as  the  small- 
est crimes  deserved  it,  he  could  not  find  a more  severe 
punishment  for  the  most  atrocious.  These  laws  were 
at  first  enforced,  but  they  were  often  neglected  on  ac- 
count of  their  extreme  severity,  and  Solon  totally 
abolished  them,  except  that  one  which  punished  the 
murderer  with  death. 

621.  War  between  the  Lydians  and  Milesians,  which  con- 
tinues 11  years.  The  fourth  eclipse  on  record,  which 
was  of  the  moon,  on  Saturday,  April  22d,  three  hours 
after  midnight,  according  to  the  meridian  of  Alex- 
andria. 

610.  Necho  begins  the  canal  between  the  Nile  and  the  Red 
Sea. 

608.  Josiah,  king  of  Judah,  killed  at  Megiddo  by  Pharaoh 
Necho,  king  of  Egypt. 

607.  Alcseus  the  poet  flourished* 

606.  Nineveh  destroyed  by  the  armies  of  Cyaxares  and  Na- 
bopolassar. 

605  or  606.  The  first  captivity  of  the  Jews. 

604.  The  Phoenicians  about  this  time  sail  from  the  Red  Sea 
round  Africa,  and  return  by  the  Mediterranean. 

600.  Sappho  the  lyric  poetess  flourished. 

596.  The  Scythians  expelled  from  upper  Asia,  by  Cyaxares. 
Epimenides  of  Crete,  the  first  builder  of  temples  in 
Greece. 

594.  Solon,  archon  and  lawgiver  of  Athens.  He  was  ac- 
counted one  of  the  seven  wise  men  of  Greece.  Ath- 
ens was  at  this  time  in  great  disorder,  and  the  citizens 
looked  to  him  to  give  them  a body  of  laws.  They 
even  offered  to  confer  on  him  an  arbitrary  power, 
which  he  declined.  He  divided  the  citizens  into  four 
classes,  the  first  three  of  which  possessed  property  in 
different  degrees,  while  the  fourth,  which  consisted  of 
the  poor,  was  more  numerous  than  the  other  three 
united.  The  offices  of  the  state  were  confined  to  the 
rich ; but  all  important  affairs  were  transacted  in  the 
assembly  of  the  people,  such  as  making  peace  and 
war,  sending  ambassadors  to  foreign  countries,  natu- 
ralizing foreigners,  &c.,  and  in  this  assembly  all  the 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


23 


B.  C. 

citizens  had  an  equal  vote ; so  that  the  power  was 
virtually  in  the  hands  of  the  people.  As  a check 
upon  this  exorbitant  power,  he  instituted  a senate, 
consisting  at  first  of  400  persons,  afterwards  increased 
to  500  and  600  ; by  whom  it  was  necessary  that  every 
measure  should  be  proposed  before  it  could  come  be- 
fore the  popular  assembly.  He  also  reinstated  the 
court  of  Areopagus,  which  had  before  this  time  ex- 
isted, but  whose  power  had  been  abridged.  This 
court  was  selected  from  the  wisest  and  best  citizens, 
and  at  first  consisted  of  9 judges,  but  was  increased 
to  31,  and  afterwards  to  51  or  many  more  persons. 
They  had  the  custody  of  the  laws,  and  the  charge  of 
executing  them,  the  care  of  the  public  treasury,  the 
education  of  the  youth,  and  were  censors  of  the  man- 
ners of  the  people,  and  had  the  regulation  of  every 
thing  relating  to  religion.  The  particular  laws  of 
Athens  were  mild,  and  calculated  to  protect  the  poor 
against  oppression  by  the  rich ; and  even  their  slaves 
were  treated  with  mildness  and  compassion. 

Thales  of  Miletus. 

593.  Ezekiel  the  prophet  flourished. 

592.  Anacharsis  the  Scythian  flourished. 

591.  The  Pythian  games  first  celebrated  at  Delphi. 

590.  The  Lydian  war  begins,  and  continues  six  years. 

587.  The  city  of  Jerusalem  taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar. 

586.  The  temple  of  Jerusalem  burned. 

585.  A battle  upon  the  river  Halys,  between  Cyaxares  and 
Halyattes,  interrupted  by  an  eclipse  of  the  moon, 
May  the  28th,  predicted  by  Thales.  iEsop  the  my- 
thologist  flourished. 

582.  The  Isthmian  games  restored. 

580.  Money  first  coined  in  Rome. 

579.  The  Megarensian  war.  Stesichorus  the  poet  flour- 
ished. 

572.  Tyre  taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar. 

571.  Apries,  king  of  Egypt,  dethroned  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar. 

569.  Daniel  interpreted  Nebuchadnezzar’s  dreams,  according 
to  Josephus. 

568.  The  Nemaean  games  restored.  Anaximander  of  Mile- 
tus,  and  Phalaris,  tyrant  of  Agrigentum,  flourished.  , 


24 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

566.  The  first  census  at  Rome — 84,700  citizens. 

562.  The  first  comedy  at  Athens,  acted  upon  a scaffold  by 
Susarion  and  Dolon. 

560.  Pisistratus  usurped  the  tyranny  of  Athens,  which  he 
recovered  after  expulsion  in  557,  and  from  which  he 
was  again  expelled  in  556. 

559.  Daniel  delivered  his  predictions.  Cyrus  ascended  the 
Persian  throne.  Daniel  beheld  in  a dream  the  four 
great  empires : 1st,  that  of  the  Assyrians  and  Baby- 
lonians ; 2d,  the  Persians  under  Cyrus  ; 3d,  the  Greeks 
under  Alexander ; 4th,  that  of  the  Romans. 

556.  Anaximenes  of  Miletus  flourished. 

550.  Cyrus  king  both  of  Media  and  Persia.  The  kingdom 
of  Lydia  ended.  Cyrus,  by  the  death  of  his  father 
Cambyses,  king  of  the  Persians,  and  of  Cyaxares  II., 
his  father-in-law,  king  of  the  Medes,  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  most  powerful  empire  that  had  evei 
yet  existed.  Pie  marched  against  Croesus,  king  of 
Lydia,  who  was  immensely  rich,  whom  he  defeated 
and  condemned  him  to  be  burned  alive.  When  that 
monarch  ascended  the  fatal  pile,  he  exclaimed,  “ So- 
lon, Solon  !”  and  upon  Cyrus  demanding  an  explana- 
tion, he  stated  that  this  Grecian  sage,  when  he  visited 
the  king  of  Lydia,  was  asked  by  the  latter  whether 
he  did  not  think  him  a happy  man , who  replied  that  no 
being  should  think  himself  happy  before  death . Struck 
with  this  remark  on  the  instability  of  earthly  posses- 
sions, Cyrus  spared  his  life,  and  made  him  governor 
of  a considerable  province. 

549.  Theognis  the  poet  flourished.  The  Pisistratidse  burn 
the  temple  of  Apollo  at  Delphos. 

548.  Croesus  crossing  the  Halys  by  an  artificial  bridge  con- 
trived by  Thales,  is  routed  by  Cyrus. 

539.  The  Phocseans  settle  in  Gaul,  and  build  Marseilles. 
Pythagoras  flourished. 

538.  Cyrus  takes  Babylon,  and  terminates  the  kingdom  of 
Babylon.  After  a long  siege  Cyrus  at  length  became 
master  of  Babylon,  over  which  the  impious  Belshaz- 
zar, son  of  Evilmerodach,  reigned,  who  perished  on 
that  occasion,  according  to  the  previous  prediction  of 
Daniel,  when  he  explained  the  meaning  of  the  words 
Mene}  Mene , Tekel , Upharsin , traced  upon  the  wall 


OF  THE  WORLD.  25 

B.  0. 

by  an  invisible  hand,  during  an  impious  festival,  at 
which  the  king  drank  out  of  the  sacred  vessels  which 
had  been  carried  away  from  the  temple  of  Jerusalem. 

537.  Simonides  of  Cea,  the  poet,  flourished. 

536.  Cyrus  issues  an  edict  for  the  return  of  the  Jews  and  the 
rebuilding  of  the  temple,  and  he  restored  to  them  the 
vessels  of  gold  and  silver  which  had  been  carried  off 
by  Nebuchadnezzar.  Thespis  the  inventor  of  tragedy 
lived. 

535.  The  first  tragedy  acted  about  this  time  at  Athens,  by 
Thespis,  in  a wagon.  According  to  the  Arundelian 
marbles,  in  536. 

532.  Anacreon  the  poet  flourished. 

530.  Cyrus  marches  against  the  Scythians.  Cyrus  attacked 
the  Massagetse  and  gained  a complete  victory  ; during 
which  he  killed  with  his  own  hand  the  son  of  their 
Queen  Thomyris.  Irritated  at  not  being  able  to  sub- 
due that  princess,  after  having  conquered  so  many 
nations,  Cyrus  pursued  the  Massagetse  into  the  defiles 
of  their  mountains,  where  he  fell  into  an  ambuscade 
and  lost  his  life.  His  body  was  then  carried  to  Tho- 
myris, who  commanded  his  head  to  be  struck  off,  and 
plunged  into  a vessel  filled  with  human  blood,  exclaim- 
ing at  the  same  time,  u Now  surfeit  thyself  with  blood , 
for  which  thou  hast  so  long  thirsted .” 

527.  Learning  encouraged  at  Athens.  A public  library 
first  founded.  War  between  the  Romans  and  Sa- 
bines. 

526.  Cambyses  conquered  Egypt.  When  at  Thebes,  he 
caused  all  the  temples  to  be  pillaged  and  burnt ; and 
out  of  the  flames  were  saved  300  talents  of  gold,  and 
2,300  of  silver,  which  he  carried  away,  together  with 
the  famous  golden  circle  which  had  encompassed  the 
tomb  of  Ozymandias.  He  was  the  son  of  Cyrus  the 
Great,  and  was  accidentally  killed  by  a wound  inflicted 
by  his  own  sword,  when  mounting  his  horse.— A comet 
appeared  in  China,  near  Antares,  or  a Scorjpionis , and 
extended  to  the  milky  way. 

523.  The  5th  lunar  eclipse  observed  at  Babylon,  on  Wednes- 
day, July  16th,  one  hour  before  midnight,  and  more 
than  6 digits  eclipsed  on  the  northern  disk. 

520.  Confucius  lived.  The  2d  edict  to  rebuild  Jerusalem. 

3 


26 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

519.  A great  earthquake  in  China. 

515.  The  temple  of  Jerusalem  finished,  March  10.  Five 
years  before,  in  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  Da- 
rius, under  the  high  priest  Joshua,  the  Jews  proceeded 
in  re-erecting  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  after  an  edict 
to  that  effect  had  been  published  by  the  king  of  Persia. 
Zerubbabel  and  Joshua  were  intrusted  with  the  su- 
perintendence of  the  works,  while  the  laborers  were 
encouraged  by  the  exhortations  of  the  prophets 
Haggai  and  Zechariah.  The  passover  celebrated, 
April  18. 

512.  Babylon  revolts  from  Darius,  but  is  recovered  two  years 
after.  On  this  occasion  Zopyrus,  one  of  the  nobles 
of  his  court,  having  voluntarily  cut  off  his  own  ears 
and  nose,  fled  to  the  enemy,  telling  them  that  he  had 
received  this  treatment  from  his  royal  master,  because 
he  had  advised  him  to  raise  the  siege,  as  the  city  was 
impregnable.  This  was  credited  by  the  Babylonians, 
and  Zopyrus  was  appointed  commander  of  all  their 
forces.  When  he  had  entirely  gained  their  confidence 
he  betrayed  the  city  into  the  hands  of  Darius,  for 
which  he  was  liberally  rewarded. 

510.  The  tyranny  of  the  Pisistratidee  abolished  at  Athens. 

509.  The  consular  government  begins  at  Rome,  on  the  expul- 
sion of  Tarquin  and  his  family,  Feb.  26.  Tar  quin 
the  Proud  was  the  seventh  and  last  king  of  Rome. 
He  murdered  his  father-in-law,  and  seized  on  the 
kingdom,  at  the  instigation  of  his  wife  Tullia,  who 
drove  her  chariot  over  the  dead  body  of  her  father,  in 
haste  to  salute  her  husband  as  king.  The  crown 
which  Tarquin  had  obtained  by  violence  he  endeav- 
ored to  keep  by  a continuation  of  tyranny,  and  made 
himself  odious  to  the  Romans.  At  length  his  son 
Sextus,  by  dishonoring  the  virtuous  Lucretia,  who 
killed  herself  in  despair,  roused  the  army  to  revolt. 
While  Tarquin  was  besieging  the  city  of  Ardea,  the 
senate  condemned  him  and  his  posterity  to  perpetual 
exile,  by  which  royalty  was  abolished  at  Rome,  after 
having  continued  244  years,  under  seven  kings,  and 
one  year  of  interregnum. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 

Kings  of  Rome . 

Years. 

753  Romulus  reigned, 

37 

716  One  year  of  interregnum, 

1 

715  Numa  Pompilius, 

43 

672  Tullus  Hostilius, 

32 

640  Ancus  Martius, 

24 

616  Tarquin  Priscus, 

38 

578  Servius  Tullius, 

44 

534  Tarquin  the  Proud, 

25 

244 

The  regal  government  at  Rome  was  replaced  by  two 
consuls,  whose  functions  continued  but  one  year.  The 
two  first  were  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  chief  of  the 
conspiracy  that  dethroned  Tarquin,  and  Lucius  Tar- 
quinius  Collatinus,  the  husband  of  Lucretia,  whom 
the  son  of  Tarquin  had  dishonored. 

508.  First  alliance  between  Rome  and  Carthage. 

507.  The  second  census  in  Rome — 130,000  citizens. 

506.  Heraclitus  the  philosopher  lived.  Megabysus  subdues 
Thrace  and  Macedonia.  War  between  the  Romans 
and  Sabines. 

505.  Parmenides  of  Elea,  the  philosopher,  lived. 

504.  Sardis  burned  by  the  Athenians,  which  occasioned  the 
invasion  of  Greece  by  the  Persians. 

502.  The  sixth  lunar  eclipse  observed  at  Babylon,  un  Monday, 
Nov.  19th,  24'  before  midnight— 3 digits  eclipsed  on 
the  south  part  of  the  disk. 

498.  The  lonians,  after  a revolt,  subdued  by  the  Persians, 
and  Miletus  taken. 

497.  The  Saturnalia  instituted  at  Rome — 150, 7u0  citizens. 

495.  Tarquin  the  Proud  dies  at  Cuma. 

494.  War  between  the  Romans  and  Sabines. 

493.  Tribunes  created  at  Rome.  The  Athenians  build  the 
port  of  Piraeus. 

491.  The  kingdom  of  Syracuse  usurped  by  Gelo.  Coriola- 
nus  banished  from  Rome.  The  seventh  lunar  eclipse 
observed  at  Babylon,  on  Wednesday,  April  25th — 2 
digits  of  the  moon’s  south  limb  eclipsed. 

490.  The  Persians  defeated  by  Miltiades,  at  Marathon.  Da- 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

rius,  the  king  of  Persia,  at  this  time  was  the  most 
powerful  monarch  in  the  world.  He  had  taken  of- 
fence at  the  Athenians  for  their  assisting  the  Grecian 
colonies,  in  Asia  Minor,  in  attempting  to  throw  off  the 
Persian  yoke,  and  he  meditated  the  entire  conquest  of 
Greece.  He  dispatched  his  son-in-law,  Mardonius, 
into  Europe,  who,  with  an  army  of  110,000  men,  met 
the  Grecian  army  at  Marathon,  under  the  command 
of  Miltiades,  who  gained  a complete  victory  and  drove 
the  invaders  to  their  ships.  The  loss  of  the  Persians 
in  the  celebrated  battle  of  Marathon  was  6,300,  and 
that  of  the  Athenians  only  192. 

488.  Coriolanus  withdraws  the  Volsci  from  Rome. 

487.  Egypt  rebels,  and  revolts  from  the  Persians. 

486.  iEschylus  first  gains  the  prize  of  tragedy. 

485.  Cassius  punished  for  usurping  the  sovereignty.  The 
Volsci  and  iEqui  subdued. 

484.  Aristides  banished  from  Athens.  Xerxes  recovers  Egypt. 

483.  Quaestors  first  created  at  Rome.  An  eruption  of 
mount  iEtna. 

481.  Xerxes  begins  his  expedition  against  Greece.  Accord- 
ing to  Herodotus,  the  number  of  fighting  men  in  the 
army  of  Xerxes  was  upwards  of  2,000,000,  and  in- 
cluding suttlers,  slaves,  and  women,  the  whole  multi- 
tude exceeded  5,000,000.  The  Athenians,  under  the 
command  of  Themistocles,  took  the  lead  in  opposing 
this  force.  But  Leonidas,  king  of  Sparta,  with  300 
Spartans,  defended  successfully  for  two  days  the  nar- 
row pass  of  Thermopylae,  the  only  entrance  into 
southern  Greece.  A path  was  discovered  by  which 
the  enemy  got  in  their  rear,  when  their  case  becoming 
desperate,  they  resolved  to  sell  their  lives  at  the  dear- 
est possible  rate.  They  made  terrible  slaughter  among 
the  Persians,  but  were  at  length  all  cut  off  to  a man. 
Athens  was  deserted  and  burned.  A great  naval 
battle  was  soon  after  fought  in  the  straits  of  Salamis, 
between  the  Persian  fleet  of  1,200  galleys,  and  that  of 
the  Greeks  of  300  galleys,  under  the  command  of 
Themistocles,  in  which  the  Persians  were  defeated, 
and  Xerxes  fled  precipitately  to  his  own  dominions, 
leaving  Mardonius  with  300,000  Persians  to  finish  the 
conquest  of  Greece.  See  year  480. 


OF  THE  WORLD.  29 

B.  C. 

480.  The  affair  of  Thermopylae  finished,  Aug.  7th.  The 
Persians  defeated  at  Salamis  in  a sea-fight,  Oct.  20th. 
Pindar  the  lyric  poet  flourished,  ob.  435,  aet.  86.  A 
comet  appeared  with  a curved  tail,  according  to  Lu* 
biniezki. 

179.  The  Persians  defeated  at  Plataea,  Sept.  22d;  on  which 
day  happened  the  naval  battle  of  Mycale.  War  be- 
tween  the  Romans  and  Hetrurians.  Charon  of  Lamp, 
sacus,  the  historian,  lived. 

477.  The  300  Romans,  of  the  name  of  Fabius,  killed  by  the 
Veientes  near  Cremona,  July  17th. 

476.  Valerius  triumphed  over  the  Veientes  and  Sabines. 
103,000  citizens  in  Rome.  A great  eruption  of 
mount  iEtna. 

471.  Themistocles  retires  to  Xerxes  in  Asia. 

470.  Cimon  defeats  the  Persian  fleet  at  Cyprus,  and  the  army 
near  the  river  Eurymedon,  in  Pamphylia.  An  erup- 
tion of  mount  iEtna.  Anaxagoras  of  Clazomene,  the 
philosopher,  ob.  420,  Get.  72. 

469.  An  earthquake  at  Sparta.  The  Tuscans  found  Capua. 
A comet  appeared,  according  to  Riccioli. 

467.  A meteoric  stone,  the  size  of  a cart,  fell  at  iEgospota- 
mos,  in  Thrace.  Pliny  assures  us,  that  this  stone  was 
preserved  in  his  time  ; and  that  another  fell  at  Abydos, 
and  a third  at  Protidea. 

466.  The  Syracusans  recover  their  liberty.  A comet  ap- 
peared for  75  days,  according  to  Lubiniezki. 

463.  Egypt  revolts  from  the  Persians,  but  obtains  the  aid  of 
the  Athenians.  A great  pestilence  in  Rome.  Sopho 
cles,  the  tragic  poet,  ob.  406,  Get.  91. 

462.  The  Persians  defeated  by  the  Athenians  in  a naval  en 
gagement,  in  Egypt. 

461.  Earthquakes  and  numerous  prodigies  in  Rome. 

460.  The  third  Messenian  war  with  the  Lacedaemonians  be- 
gins, and  continues  ten  years. 

459.  The  Athenians  begin  to  exercise  tyranny  over  the  other 
Grecian  states. 

458.  Cincinnatus  appointed  dictator.  War  between  the  Co- 
rinthians and  Megareans. 

456.  The  Athenians,  deserted  by  the  Egyptians,  retire  out  of 
Egypt  by  capitulation  with  the  Persians.  The  ludi 
secular es  celebrated  for  the  first  time  at  Rome. 

3* 


CHRONOLOGY 


30 

B.  C. 

454.  The  Romans  send  deputies  to  Athens  for  a copy  of  So- 
lon’s laws.  An  eruption  of  iEtna. 

453.  Aristarchus  the  tragic  poet  flourished. 

451.  The  decemvirs  created  at  Rome,  and  the  laws  of  the 
twelve  tables  compiled  and  ratified. 

450.  Cimon  triumphs  over  the  Persians  by  sea  and  land. 
Cimon  took  the  isle  of  Cyprus,  and  Artaxerxes  the 
Persian  monarch  was  compelled  to  ratify  a disgraceful 
peace  with  the  Greeks ; engaging  to  restore  to  all  the 
Grecian  cities  in  Asia  their  ancient  freedom ; not  to 
approach  the  seacoast  nearer  than  the  distance  of  one 
day’s  journey  on  horseback,  and  to  send  no  large  ves- 
sels upon  the  Grecian  seas  between  the  islands  of 
Cyanese  and  Cheledonsea,  on  the  coast  of  Lycia.  Ci- 
mon died  in  the  isle  of  Cyprus,  before  the  city  of 
Citium,  now  Chitti,  which  he  was  then  besieging.— 
Zaleucus,  the  lawgiver  of  Locri. 

449.  The  decemvirs  banished.  The  Persians  make  a shame- 
ful peace  with  the  Greeks. 

448.  The  first  sacred  war  about  the  temple  of  Delphi.  Hel- 
lanius,  the  historian,  ob.  411,  set.  85. 

447.  The  Boeotians  defeat  the  Athenians  at  Chseronea. 

446.  A thirty  years’  truce  between  the  Athenians  and  Lace- 
daemonians. Thucydides  banished  by  the  ostracism. 

445.  Herodotus  reads  his  history  in  the  council  at  Athens, 
at  the  age  of  39  years.  Military  tribunes  created  at 
Rome. 

444.  The  Athenians  send  a colony  to  Thurium  in  Italy,  of 
which  number  were  Herodotus,  Thucydides,  and  Ly- 
sias. Empedocles  of  Agrigentum,  the  philosopher, 
flourished. 

443.  Censors  first  created  at  Rome. 

442.  Universal  peace.  Euripides  gained  the  prize  of 
tragedy  at  Athens,  at  the  age  of  43  years,  ob.  407, 
set.  78. 

441.  The  battering  ram,  the  testudo,  and  other  military  in- 
struments, invented  by  Artemones  of  Clazomene.  Pe- 
ricles subdues  Samos.  A great  famine  at  Rome. 

440.  Comedies  prohibited  at  Athens.  Phidias  the  sculptor 
flourished,  ob.  432. 

439.  War  between  Corinth  and  Corcyra. 

437.  Cratinus,  the  comic  poet,  ob.  431. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


31 


B.  C. 

436.  Malaehi,  the  last  of  the  prophets,  delivered  his  predic- 
tions. 

435.  The  Romans  take  Fidense.  The  Corinthians  defeated 
by  the  Corcyrians.  Eupolis  the  comic  poet  lived, 
ob.  post.  415. 

434.  Aristophanes  the  comic  poet,  ob.  post  389. 

433.  Temple  of  Apollo  consecrated.  A comet  appeared  in 
China. 

432.  Metonic  cycle  begins.  Meton  ob.  post  415.  The  Me- 
tonic  cycle,  so  called  from  its  inventor,  consists  of  19 
years,  or  more  accurately,  of  6940  days ; at  the  end 
of  which  the  times  of  the  new  moon  fall  on  the  same 
days  of  the  year,  and  the  eclipses  return  in  nearly 
the  same  order.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that  in  19 
solar  years  there  are  235  lunations,  (with  the  differ- 
ence of  a few  hours,)  and  very  nearly  one  complete 
revolution  of  the  moon’s  nodes.  The  cycle  was  after- 
wards corrected  by  Calippus. 

431.  Peloponnesian  war  begins,  May  7,  and  lasts  near  27 
years.  This  war,  which  proved  highly  prejudicial  to 
the  city  of  Athens,  had  its  origin  in  the  pride  of  the 
Athenians,  and  a refusal  on  the  part  of  Pericles  to 
render  an  account  of  7000  talents  which  had  been 
expended  in  the  name  of  Greece,  and  the  affront  to 
which  the  Lacedaemonian  ambassadors  were  subjected 
in  being  denied  a hearing,  and  compelled,  without 
ceremony,  to  quit  the  territory  of  Athens.  The  Lace- 
daemonians, under  the  command  of  Archidamus  their 
king,  gained  possession  of  the  city  of  Plataea  and 
proceeded  to  Attica,  which  country  they  desolated ; 
while  the  Athenians,  on  the  other  hand,  ravaged  the 
coasts  of  Peloponnesus  with  a fleet  of  100  vessels, 
and  some  time  afterwards  obtained  two  naval  victories 
over  the  Lacedaemonians.  At  length  the  Spartans 
under  Lysander  utterly  defeated  the  Athenian  fleet 
at  iEgos  Potamos,  and  Athens  was  compelled  to  sub- 
mit to  humiliating  terms  of  peace.  Lysander  abolished 
the  popular  government  at  Athens,  and  substituted 
thirty  magistrates,  which  were  called  the  thirty  ty- 
rants, who  were  expelled  by  Aristobulus  and  a band 
of  patriots,  in  the  year  401.  Euctemon  the  astrono- 
mer flourished.  A comet  appeared,  which  continued 


32  CHRONOLOGY 

B.  C. 

visible  for  60  days.  See  Lubiniezki  and  Hevelius, 
the  last  of  whom  places  it  in  430. 

430.  The  history  of  the  Old  Testament  finishes  about  this 
time.  A plague  at  Athens  for  five  years. 

429.  Socrates  the  philosopher  flourished,  ob.  400,  set.  70. 

428.  Democritus  of  Abdera,  ob.  361,  set.  109. 

427.  Gorgias  of  Leontium,  the  orator,  ob.  400,  set.  108. 

426.  The  plague  breaks  out  at  Athens  a second  time.  Thu- 
cydides the  historian  flourished,  ob.  about  391,  set. 
about  80.  An  eruption  of  Mount  iEtna. 

425.  Hippocrates  of  Cos,  the  physician,  ob.  361,  set.  99. 

424.  Aristophanes’  first  comedy  of  the  Clouds  acted  against 
Socrates. 

423.  A truce  between  the  Lacedaemonians  and  Athenians. 

421.  A peace  of  50  years  between  the  Lacedaemonians  and 
Athenians. 

420.  Alcibiades,  the  Athenian  general,  ob.  404,  set.  46. 

419.  Protagoras  of  Abdera,  the  sophist,  flourished. 

418.  The  Lacedsemonians  gain  a signal  victory  over  the 
Argives  and  Mantineans. 

416.  The  Agrarian  law  proposed  at  Rome. 

415.  Alcibiades  accused  at  Athens.  Parrhasius  of  Ephesus, 
the  painter. 

414.  Egypt  revolts  from  the  Persians.  The  second  part  of 
the  Peloponnesian  war  begins.  A comet  appeared. 

413.  An  eclipse  of  the  moon,  Aug.  27,  by  wdiich  Nicias 
was  so  terrified  that  he  lost  the  Athenian  army  in 
Sicily. 

412.  The  Athenians  are  deserted  by  their  allies.  Lysias 
the  orator,  ob.  378,  set.  81.  Four  hundred  persons 
elected  to  the  government  of  Athens.  A comet  ap- 
peared in  winter  in  the  North: 

411.  A comet  appeared.  See  Hevelius. 

410.  The  Athenians  defeat  the  Lacedsemonians  at  Cyzicum. 
The  history  of  Thucydides  ends,  and  that  of  Xeno- 
phon begins.  The  Carthaginians  attack  Sicily.  A 
comet  appeared.  See  Riccioli . 

408.  The  Romans  defeat  the  Yolsci,  The  Athenians  seize 
the  Hellespont. 

407.  The  Carthaginians  renew  their  attack  upon  Sicily. 

406.  Agathon  the  comic  poet  flourished. 

405.  The  Athenian  fleet  of  180  ships  defeated  at  iEgos- 


B.  C. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


33 


potamos  by  Lysander.  Syracuse  usurped  by  Dio- 
nysius. Cebes  the  philosopher. 

404.  Lysander  takes  Athens,  and  finishes  the  Peloponnesian 
war.  Athens  governed  by  30  tyrants.  Euclid  of 
Megara,  the  philosopher. 

403.  The  Roman  infantry  first  received  pay. 

402.  Telestes,  the  dithyrambic  poet,  flourished. 

401.  Cyrus  killed  in  an  expedition  against  Artaxerxes.  The 
retreat  of  the  10,000  Greeks  under  Xenophon.  The 
30  tyrants  expelled  from  Athens  by  Thrasybulus,  and 
the  democratic  government  established.  A comet 
appeared.  See  Lubiniezki. 

400.  The  Athenians  put  Socrates  to  death.  The  death  of 
Socrates  forms  one  of  the  most  lamentable  and  dis- 
graceful things  in  Grecian  history.  He  who  was  the 
most  correct  of  heathen  philosophers  and  moralists, 
was  accused  before  the  tribunal  of  500  of  having 
spoken  evil  of  the  gods  which  his  countrymen  wor- 
shipped, and  of  having  made  innovations  in  religion ; 
and  at  the  age  of  70  years  was  condemned,  by  a ma- 
jority of  three  voices,  to  drink  hemlock,  a deadly 
poison.  To  his  friends  who  lamented  that  he  was 
about  to  die  innocent,  he  replied,  “ Would  you  have 
me  then  die  guilty  V 5 When  the  fatal  day  arrived, 
he  drank  the  hemlock  presented  to  him  by  the  execu- 
tioner, with  an  unaltered  countenance,  and  in  a few 
moments  expired.  But  the  fickle  Athenians  soon  re- 
pented of  their  rashness  and  injustice,  and  treated  his 
persecutors  with  deserved  contempt.  Xenophon  the 
philosopher,  ob.  359,  set.  about  90. 

399.  The  feast  called  Lectisternium  instituted  at  Rome. 

398.  Military  catapultse  invented  by  Dionysius  about  this 
time.  Ctesias,  the  physician  and  historian,  ob.  after 
384.  Many  prodigies  are  seen  at  Rome. 

397.  Dionysius  of  Syracuse  declares  war  against  the  Cartha- 
ginians. Zeuxis  the  painter  flourished. 

396.  Antisthenes,  called  the  Cynic  philosopher. 

395.  The  Athenians,  Thebans,  Corinthians,  and  Argives, 
unite  against  the  Lacedaemonians. 

394.  A sea-fight  at  Cnidus,  between  the  Persians  and  Lacedae- 
monians. The  Corinthian  war  commences.  Archy* 
tus  of  Tarentum,  the  mathematician,  ob.  after  360. 


CHRONOLOGY 


34 

B.  C. 

393.  Argives  take  possession  of  Corinth. 

390.  The  Romans  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Allia  by  the 
Gauls,  who  marched  to  Rome,  and  burned  it.  The 
Gauls  under  Brennus  laid  siege  to  Clusium,  which, 
imploring  the  assistance  of  Rome,  Fabius  was  sent  to 
assist  them.  The  Gauls  then  directed  their  march 
to  Rome,  which  filled  the  city  with  consternation. 
Their  aged,  women,  and  children,  sought  refuge  in 
the  surrounding  towns,  the  men  capable  of  bearing 
arms  shut  themselves  up  in  the  Capitol,  while  80  sen- 
ators awaited  the  enemy  seated  in  their  curule  chairs, 
or  ivory  chairs  of  state,  but  were  all  slaughtered. 
Rome  was  delivered  up  to  the  flames,  and  the  Capitol 
was  besieged.  The  consul  Manlius,  advertised  of  the 
approach  of  the  enemy  by  the  cackling  of  the  sacred 
geese,  saved  the  Capitol ; but  after  a seven  months’ 
siege,  the  Romans  consented  to  pay  to  the  Gauls  one 
thousand  pounds’  weight  of  gold.  When  it  was  being 
weighed,  the  Romans  complained  that  it  was  not 
fairly  weighed ; Brennus,  insulting  their  calamity, 
and  indignant  at  the  complaints  of  the  vanquished, 
threw  his  sword  into  the  scale,  and  ordered  them  to 
pile  on  until  it  was  balanced.  Camillus,  forgetting 
the  ingratitude  and  injustice  of  his  fellow-citizens, 
who  by  means  of  false  accusations  had  forced  him 
into  exile,  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Ardiaei, 
and  attacking  the  Gauls  with  fury,  is  said  to  have 
cut  them  off  to  a man,  leaving  not  a soul  to  convey 
the  news  of  their  defeat  to  their  countrymen. 

389.  Plato’s  first  travels  into  Sicily,  ob.  348,  set.  81. 

388.  Dionysius  takes  Rhegium.  Philoxenus  the  dithyrambic 
poet. 

387.  The  peace  of  Antalcidas  between  the  Lacedaemonians 
and  Persians.  Rome  contained  152,583  effective 
men.  Damon  and  Pythias,  the  Pythagorean  philoso- 
phers and  friends. 

385.  The  Cyprian  war  finished. 

380.  Isseus  of  Chalcis,  the  Athenian  orator,  ob.  about  360. 

378.  Isocrates  the  rhetorician,  ob.  388,  set.  99. 

377.  The  Lacedaemonians  defeated  in  the  naval  battle  at 
Naxus,  Sep.  20. 

376.  Artaxerxes  makes  peace  with  the  Greeks. 


OR  THE  WORLD. 


35 


B.  C. 

374.  The  unsuccessful  expedition  of  tne  Persians  under 
Artaxerxes  into  Egypt.  Philolaus  the  Pythagorean 
philosopher. 

373.  A great  earthquake  in  Peloponnesus.  A comet  appeared 
in  Greece  in  winter,  near  Orion.  See  Lubiniezki . 

372.  Diogenes,  the  Cynic  philosopher,  ob.  324,  set.  90. 

371.  The  Lacedaemonians  defeated  by  the  Thebans  under 
Epaminondas  at  the  battle  of  Leuctra,  July  8.  A 
comet  appeared. 

370.  The  Messenians  return  to  Peloponnesus,  after  an  exile 
of  about  300  years. 

368.  Eudoxus  brought  the  sphere  from  Egypt  into  Greece, 
ob.  about  352,  set.  53. 

367.  The  populace  at  Rome  succeed  in  making  one  of  the 
consuls  a plebeian. 

365.  The  Romans  renew  the  custom  of  fixing  the  chrono- 
logical nail  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter,  on  the  13th  of 
Sept.  Livy  places  it  in  363. 

363.  Epaminondas  killed  at  the  battle  of  Mantinea.  Aris- 
tippus, junior,  the  Cyrenaic  philosopher. 

362.  Revolt  in  Lesser  Asia  of  several  Persian  governors 
against  Artaxerxes. 

360.  Philip  defeats  the  Athenians  at  Methon.  Plato’s  second 
voyage  into  Sicily. 

359.  Philip  gains  a second  battle  over  the  Illyrians.  Earth 
quake  at  Rome,  by  which  M.  Curtius  is  swallowed  up. 

357.  The  second  sacred  war  begins.  Dionysius  junior  ex- 
pelled Syracuse  by  Dion.  Aristotle  observed  the 
moon’s  transit  over  Mars,  April  4. 

356.  A comet  appeared.  See  Hevelius. 

354.  Dion  put  to  death.  Theopompus  of  Chios,  the  orator 
and  historian.  A comet  appeared,  the  tail  of  which 
was  successively  elongated. 

353.  Philip  defeats  the  Phocians  in  Thessaly. 

352.  Ephorus  of  Cumae,  the  historian,  flourished. 

351.  The  Sidonians,  besieged  by  the  Persian  army,  burn 
their  city,  and  put  themselves  to  death.  The  monu- 
ment of  Mausolus  erected. 

350.  Egypt  conquered  by  Ochus. 

348.  Philip  concludes  the  sacred  war  after  taking  the  cities  of 
the  Phocaeans.  Speusippus,  the  academic  philosopher, 
ob.  339.  A comet  appeared  in  Greece.  See  Lubiniezki . 


CHRONOLOGY 


36 

B, 

347.  Dionysius  recovers  Syracuse. 

345.  Aristotle  the  philosopher  flourished,  ob.  322,  set.  63. 

343.  War  between  the  Romans  and  Samnites  commences, 
and  continues  71  years.  Timoleon  restores  the  lib- 
erty of  Syracuse ; expels  Dionysius,  and  establishes 
a democracy.  Frotogenes  of  Rhodes,  the  painter,  ob. 
about  320.  The  Syracusan  sera  commenced.  Philip 
makes  Thrace  tributary.  A plague  at  Rome. 

341.  A comet  appeared  near  the  equator,  in  Greece.  See 
Riccioli. 

340.  The  Carthaginians  defeated  near  Agrigentum  by  Timo- 
leon, July  13. 

339.  Xenocrates,  the  academic  philosopher,  ob.  314,  set.  82. 

338.  The  Athenians  defeated  by  Philip,  &e.,  in  the  battle  of 
Chseronea,  Aug.  2. 

336.  Philip  killed  by  Pausanias.  Philip  having  caused  him- 
self to  be  appointed  general  of  the  Grecian  armies, 
and  caused  them  to  decide  to  rise  against  the  king  of 
Persia,  repaired  in  person  to  witness  the  celebration 
of  the  nuptials  of  his  daughter  Cleopatra  with  the 
king  of  Epirus,  and  was  assassinated  in  the  47th  year 
of  his  age,  by  Pausanias,  a young  Macedonian,  cap- 
tain of  his  guard,  in  revenge  of  an  act  of  injustice 
done  to  himself.  Philip  was  a great  general,  and 
had  received  his  military  education  under  the  great 
Epaminondas  at  Thebes,  whither  he  was  sent  as  a 
hostage  in  early  life.  He  disciplined  an  army  not 
only  for  the  conquest  of  Greece,  but  expressly  for  the 
conquest  of  Persia.  Of  this  army  it  was  said,  that 
every  soldier  was  fit  for  a subaltern ; every  subaltern 
for  a captain ; and  every  captain  for  a commander- 
in-chief.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Alexander, 
at  20  years  of  age,  who,  without  such  an  army  pre- 
pared to  his  hand,  would  not  have  been  able  to  ac- 
complish those  immense  conquests  in  Persia,  which 
have  conferred  on  him  the  title  of  the  Great.  A comet 
appeared  in  Greece,  and  was  seen  for  70  days.  Stilpo 
of  Megara,  the  philosopher,  ob.  after  294. 

335.  Alexander  enters  Greece,  destroys  Thebes,  but  pre- 
serves the  house  of  Pindar.  Demades,  the  Athenian 
orator,  ob.  322. 

834.  Alexander  defeats  the  Persians  on  the  Granicus,  May  22. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


37 


Alexander  set  out  for  the  conquest  of  Persia  with  an 
army  of  30,000  foot,  5000  horse,  the  sum  of  70  tal- 
ents, and  provisions  only  for  a single  month.  He 
crossed  the  Hellespont ; and  Darius  Codomanus,  the 
king  of  Persia,  resolved  to  crush  at  once  this  incon- 
siderate youth,  whom  he  met  on  the  Granicus,  a 
small  river  of  Phrygia,  with  100,000  foot  and  10,000 
horse.  The  Greeks  swam  the  river,  their  king  leading 
the  van ; and  attacking  the  astonished  Persians,  left 

20.000  dead  upon  the  field,  while  the  Greeks  lost 
only  115  men.  The  whole  Persian  army  was  put  to 
flight.  Alexander  now  sent  home  his  fleet,  leaving  to 
his  army  the  sole  alternative  that  they  must  subdue 
Asia  or  perish.  Apelles  of  Cos,  the  painter. 

333.  Alexander  gains  a second  battle  at  Issus  in  October. 
Prosecuting  their  course,  the  Greeks  were  attacked 
by  the  Persians  in  a narrow  valley  of  Cilicia,  near 
the  town  of  Issus.  The  Persian  host  amounted  to 

400.000  men,  but  their  situation  was  such  that  a 
small  part  only  could  come  into  action,  and  they  were 
defeated  with  prodigious  slaughter.  The  loss  of  the 
Persians  was  110,000,  that  of  the  Greeks  was  in- 
considerable. The  generosity  of  Alexander  was 
displayed  after  the  battle  of  Issus  in  his  kind  at- 
tention to  his  noble  prisoners,  the  mother,  wife,  and 
family  of  Darius.  Calisthenes,  the  philosopher,  ob. 
328. 

332.  Alexander  takes  Tyre,  Aug.  20 ; obtains  possession  of 
Egypt,  and  builds  Alexandria.  Alexander  bent  his 
course  towards  Tyre,  whose  inhabitants  shut  their 
gates,  and  maintained  a noble  defence  for  seven  months. 
The  city  was  at  length  taken  by  storm,  and  8000  of 
the  inhabitants  cruelly  put  to  death.  The  taking  of 
Gaza  opened  Egypt  to  Alexander,  and  the  whole 
country  submitted  without  opposition,  as  they  were 
impatient  of  the  Persian  yoke.  A silly  piece  of  vanity 
led  him  across  the  scorching  sands  to  the  temple  of 
Jupiter  Ammon,  as  he  was  desirous  to  be  thought  the 
son  of  Jupiter,  which  caused  his  mother  to  write  to 
him  in  raillery,  “not  to  set  her  and  Juno  by  the  ears.5’ 
He  returned  from  this  perilous  and  foolish  enterprise, 
and  performed  a more  noble  act  by  founding  the  city 
4 


88  CHRONOLOGY 

B.  C. 

of  Alexandria,  which  perpetuates  his  name.  Dino- 
crates the  mathematician. 

331 . Darius  defeated  by  Alexander  in  the  battle  of  Arbela,  Oct. 
2,  eleven  days  after  a total  eclipse  of  the  moon.  Having 
returned  from  Egypt  and  crossed  the  Euphrates  wuth 
50,000  men,  he  fought  the  tremendous  battle  of  Arbela. 
The  number  of  Persians  engaged  in  this  battle  is  stated 
at  700,000,  and  their  loss  at  300,000,  while  Alexander 
lost  only  about  500.  This  great  battle  decided  the 
fate  of  Persia,  which  now  submitted  to  the  conqueror, 
and  Darius  was  soon  after  murdered  by  one  of  his 
satraps. 

330.  The  cycle  of  Calippus  commences  from  Darius’s  death, 
July  1.  iEschines  the  orator  banished. 

329.  Hyperides,  the  Athenian  orator,  ob.  322. 

328.  Philetas  of  Cos,  the  poet  and  grammarian,  ob.  about 
280.  Alexander  passed  the  mountain  of  Caucasus. 

327.  Alexander’s  expedition  into  India  against  Porus. 

326.  Lysippus  the  statuary  flourished. 

325.  Menedemus  of  Eretria,  ob.  about  301,  set.  74.  Demos- 
thenes banished  from  Athens,  recalled  in  23,  and 
died  in  322,  set.  60. 

324.  Crates  of  Thebes,  the  Cynic  philosopher,  ob.  after  287. 

323.  Alexander  dies,  April  21,  and  his  empire  divided.  Al- 
exander before  his  death  penetrated  into  India,  and 
defeated  Porus,  a sovereign  of  that  country.  He  was 
desirous  of  projecting  further  achievements,  but  his 
soldiers,  perceiving  no  end  to  their  toils,  refused  to 
proceed  farther.  He  then  returned  with  his  army  to 
Persepolis,  which  he  caused  to  be  set  on  fire,  in  a fit 
of  phrensy.  Thence  proceeding  to  Babylon,  he  there 
indulged  himself  in  the  greatest  excesses,  and  died 
suddenly  of  a fever  brought  on  by  excessive  drinking, 
in  the  33d  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  13th  year  of 
his  reign.  He  is  the  most  renowned  hero  of  antiquity, 
surpassing  all  others  in  the  rapidity  and  extent  of  his 
conquests.  He  possessed  military  talents  of  the  highest 
order,  but  his  vanity  was  excessive,  and  his  ambition 
unbounded.  He  was  fond  of  learning,  frank  and 
generous  in  his  disposition,  and,  in  the  early  part  of 
his  career,  distinguished  for  self-government ; but  at 
length,  intoxicated  by  success,  he  gave  himself  up  to 


OF  THE  WORLD.  39 

B.  C. 

excessive  indulgence,  and  to  acts  of  the  most  atrocious 
cruelty  and  ingratitude.  How  different  were  his 
character  and  fame  from  those  of  the  American  Wash- 
ington ! Alexander  named  no  successor,  his  family 
were  successively  all  destroyed,  and  his  kingdom  was 
at  length  divided  into  four  parts  under  as  many  of  his 
principal  officers : Macedonia  under  Cassander , Thrace 
under  Lysimachus,  Syria,  under  Seleucus , and  Egypt 
under  Ptolemy  Lagus.  Alexander  destroyed  the  Per- 
sian monarchy  after  it  had  subsisted  206  years ; and 
the  Macedonian  kingdom  which  he  founded,  or  rather 
greatly  extended,  existed  in  its  glory  but  a few  shc*rt 
years,  though  it  exceeded  in  extent  all  that  had  gone 
before  it.  Praxiteles,  the  statuary,  ob.  after  288. 

322.  Antipater  puts  to  death  the  Athenian  orators,  Demos- 
thenes, Hyperides,  and  Demades.  Theophrastus,  the 
peripatetic  philosopher,  ob.  about  288,  set.  85. 

321.  The  Romans  defeated  by  the  Samnites. 

320.  Polysperchon  proclaims  general  liberty  to  all  the  Greek 
cities.  Ptolemy  carries  100,000  Jews  captives  into 
Egypt.  Menander,  the  inventor  of  the  new  comedy, 
ob.  293,  set.  52. 

319.  The  Romans  subdue  the  Samnites. 

318.  Phocion  put  to  death  by  the  Athenians.  Cassander  be- 
comes master  of  Athens. 

317.  Agathocles  usurps  the  government  of  Syracuse  and 
Sicily.  Demetrius  Phalereus  governs  Athens  for 
10  years ; expelled  from  Athens  in  307 ; ob.  about 
284. 

315.  Cassander  rebuilt  Thebes,  and  founded  Cassandria. 
Rhodes  nearly  destroyed  by  an  inundation. 

314.  The  cities  of  Peloponnesus  recover  their  liberties. 
Dinarchus,  the  Athenian  orator,  banished  in  307. 

313.  Polemon,  the  academic  philosopher,  ob.  270. 

312.  Babylon  taken  by  Seleucus.  The  sera  of  the  Seleuci- 
dse  commences.  Zeno  of  Cittium  in  Cyprus,  the  first 
of  the  Stoic  philosophers,  ob.  264,  set.  98. 

310.  The  Carthaginians  defeat  Agathocles,  July  22,  who 
carries  the  war  into  Africa ; during  his  passage  the 
sun  was  eclipsed,  Aug.  15,  11  digits  10'.  A comet 
appeared  in  China.  Crantor,  the  academic  philoso- 
pher, ob.  before  270. 


CHRONOLOGY 


40 

B.  C. 

308.  The  Samnites,  Marsi,  and  Peligni  defeated  by  Fabius 
Philemon,  the  comic  poet,  ob.  about  274. 

307.  The  oligarchy  of  Athens  changed  into  a democra 
cy. 

306.  The  successors  of  Alexander  take  the  title  of  kings. 

305.  Megasthenes  the  historian. 

304.  Seleucus  founded  Antioch,  Edessa,  Laodicea,  &c. 
Pyrrho,  the  philosopher,  ob.  set.  90. 

301.  Antigonus  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Ipsus. 

300.  Euclid  of  Alexandria,  the  mathematician. 

298.  Arcesilaus  the  philosopher,  founder  of  the  middle  Acad- 
emy, ob.  about  241,  set.  73. 

296.  Athens  taken  by  Demetrius  Poliorcetes.  Epicurus 
the  philosopher,  ob.  270,  set.  72. 

294.  Timocharis  of  Alexandria  observed,  March  9th,  4 hours 
before  midnight,  a conjunction  of  the  moon  with  Spica 
Virginis — ob.  after  272.  Rome  contained  270,000 
effective  men. 

293.  The  first  sun-dial  erected  at  Rome  upon  the  temple  of 
Quirinus  by  Papirius  Cursor.  Erasistratus,  the  phy- 
sician, ob.  about  257. 

292.  Aristyllus  of  Alexandria,  the  astronomer. 

291.  Seleucus  builds  and  peoples  about  40  new  cities  in 
Asia. 

290.  The  Samnite  war  ended.  Fabius  introduces  painting 
into  Rome.  Bion  Boristhenites,  the  philosopher,  ob. 
241. 

288.  Strato,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher,  ob.  about  270. 

287.  The  Athenians  revolt  from  Demetrius  Poliorcetes. 
Zenodotus  of  Ephesus,  the  first  librarian  of  Alexan- 
dria, ob.  about  245. 

286.  Macedon  taken  possession  of  by  Lysimachus,  and  Pyr- 
rhus expelled. 

285.  Dionysius,  the  astronomer  of  Alexandria,  began  his 
sera  on  Monday,  June  26th.  He  was  the  first  who 
found  the  exact  solar  year  to  consist  of  365d  5h  49' — 
ob.  241. 

284.  The  Septuagint  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  sup- 
posed to  have  been  made.  The  pharos  of  Alexandria 
built.  Achsean  republic  founded.  A great  earth- 
quake in  the  Hellespont  and  Chersonesus.  The  Gauls 
defeat  the  Romans. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


41 


B.  C. 

283.  Sostratus  of  Cnidus,  the  architect.  The  college  and 
library  of  Alexandria  founded. 

282.  Timocharis  observed,  Nov.  9th,  3i  hours  after  mid- 
night, a second  conjunction  of  the  moon  with  Spica 
Virginis . Theocritus  of  Syracuse,  the  pastoral  poet. 

280.  Pyrrhus  assists  the  Tarentines  in  Italy.  Aristarchus 
of  Samos,  the  astronomer,  flourished. 

279.  Dionysius  Heracleotes,  the  philosopher.  Rome  con- 
tains 278,222  citizens. 

278.  An  army  of  Gauls  under  Brennus  cut  to  pieces  near 
the  temple  of  Delphi.  Philo,  the  dialectic  philoso- 
pher, ob.  about  260. 

277.  Aratus  of  Tarsus,  the  astronomical  poet. 

276.  Lycophron  of  Chalcis,  the  poet. 

275.  The  Romans  defeat  Pyrrhus,  who  retires  to  Epirus. 
Persseus,  the  Stoic  philosopher. 

272.  The  Romans  defeat  the  Samnites  and  Tarentines. 
Pyrrhus  killed  at  the  siege  of  Argos.  Lycon,  the 
Peripatetic  philosopher,  ob.  226,  set.  74. 

269.  Silver  first  coined  at  Rome.  Crates,  the  Academic 
philosopher,  ob.  about  250. 

268.  Athens  taken  by  Antigonus  Gonatas.  Berosus,  the 
Chaldean  historian. 

267.  Ptolemy  made  a canal  from  the  Nile  to  the  Red  Sea. 
Hermachus  of  Mitylene,  the  Epicurean* 

265.  Rome  contains  292,226  citizens. 

264.  The  first  Punic  war.  The  Arundelian  marbles  com- 
posed. Cleanthes,  the  Stoic  philosopher,  ob.  about 
240,  set.  80. 

263.  Homer,  jun.,  the  tragic  poet. 

262.  The  battle  of  Sardis.  Timseus  of  Sicily,  the  historian, 
ob.  set.  96. 

261.  The  Romans  attend  to  maritime  affairs.— The  Romans 
felt  the  absolute  necessity  of  possessing  a fleet,  when 
a Carthaginian  ship  which  happened  to  be  wrecked 
upon  the  Italian  shore  served  them  for  a model ; and 
in  less  than  two  years  they  became  possessed  of  a 
navy,  consisting  of  120  vessels,  armed  with  iron 
cramp  hooks,  for  the  purpose  of  boarding.  The  ves- 
sels of  this  time  were  large  galleys. 

Manetho,  the  Egyptian  historian. 

260.  The  Carthaginians  defeated  at  sea  by  the  Romans,— 

4* 


42  CHRONOLOGY 

B.  C. 

The  consul  Duilius  gained  the  first  naval  victory  over 
the  Carthaginians,  now  masters  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Callimachus  of  Gyrene,  the  poet,  ob.  about  244. 

259.  Zoilus  the  critic,  called  Homero-Mastix. 

258.  Duris  of  Samos,  the  historian. 

257.  Neanthes  of  Cyzieum,  the  orator  and  historian. 

256.  Regulus  defeated  and  taken  prisoner.- — The  Romans 
equipped  a fleet  consisting  of  330  ships,  to  oppose  the 
Carthaginians,  who  had  a navy  of  350  vessels  ; the 
latter  being  resolved  to  oppose  the  designs  of  the  Ro- 
mans on  Africa.  Regulus,  whose  fleet  had  combat- 
ed with  various  success,  at  length  gained  a complete 
victory.  He  then  landed  in  Africa,  and  compelled 
the  Carthaginians  to  ratify  a peace,  the  conditions  of 
which  were  extremely  burdensome  and  humiliating  to 
the  latter,  while  27,000  prisoners  who  had  been  cap- 
tured were  sent  to  Rome.  Soon  after  Regulus  was 
captured,  with  5000  Romans,  by  Xanthippus,  the 
Lacedaemonian  general,  who  had  been  invited  by  the 
Carthaginians  to  assist  them ; and  30,000  men  were 
left  dead  on  the  field  of  battle.  The  melancholy 
news  was  conveyed  to  Rome  by  Regulus,  who  opposed 
an  exchange  of  prisoners,  to  negotiate  which  he  had 
been  sent,  with  the  promise  to  return  if  unsuccessful  ;• 
and  in  order  to  keep  his  promise  inviolate  he  did  re- 
turn, though  he  expected  that  it  would  be  to  suffer 
death  in  dreadful  tortures,  which  took  place. 

Antigonus  lestores  the  liberty  of  Athens.  Ctesibius, 
the  historian,  ob.  set.  104. 

255.  The  fourth  imperial  dynasty  of  China  begins.  Sosibi- 
us  of  Lacedaemon,  the  critic. 

254.  Hieronymus  of  Rhodes,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher. 

252.  Rome  contains  297,897  effective  men. 

251.  Aratus  joins  the  Achaean  league. 

250.  The  Parthians  revolt  from  the  Macedonians. 

249.  The  Romans  defeated  by  the  Carthaginians  in  the  na- 
val battle  of  Drepanum. 

248.  Antigonus  Carystius,  the  historian. 

247.  Jesus,  the  son  of  Sirach.  A census  at  Rome — 251,212 
citizens. 

246.  Ptolemy  kills  Laodice,  and  subdues  great  part  of  Syria. 
Conon  of  Samos,  the  astronomer,  ob.  after  223. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


43 


B.  C. 

245.  Eratosthenes  of  Gyrene,  librarian  of  Alexandria,  ob. 
194,  set.  82. 

243.  The  citadel  of  Corinth  taken  by  Aratus.  Sphserus, 
the  Stoic  philosopher  and  historian. 

242.  The  Carthaginians  defeated.  The  first  Punic  war 
ended.  Apollonius  of  Perga,  the  geometer. 

241.  Agis,  king  of  Sparta,  is  put  to  death,  attempting  to  set- 
tle an  Agrarian  law. 

240.  Plays  acted  at  Rome,  being  those  of  Livius  Andronicus, 
the  first  Roman  dramatist. 

239.  Chrysippus,  the  Stoic  philosopher,  ob.  207,  set.  73. 

238.  The  Carthaginians  terminate  the  Libyan  war.  Po- 
lystratus, the  Epicurean  philosopher. 

237.  Hamilcar,  with  his  son  Hannibal,  leads  the  Carthagini- 
ans into  Spain.  Euphorion  of  Chalcis,  the  poet,  ob. 
about  220,  set.  56. 

236.  The  Tartars  expelled  from  China.  Archimedes  of 
Syracuse,  the  mathematician,  ob.  212. 

235.  Rome  being  at  peace  with  all  nations,  the  temple  of 
Janus  was  shut  the  first  time  after  Numa.  Messala, 
the  Roman  painter,  ob.  after  226. 

234.  The  Sardinian  war  begins.  Nsevius,  the  comic  poet, 
ob.  203. 

231.  The  first  divorce  at  Rome.  Sardinia  and  Corsica  con- 
quered by  the  Romans. 

230.  Apollonius  Rhodius,  the  poet  and  third  librarian  of 
Alexandria.  Eratosthenes  observed  the  obliquity  of 
the  ecliptic  to  be  23°  51'  20". 

229.  The  Romans  declare  war  against  the  Illyrians. 

228.  The  Roman  ambassadors  first  appear  at  Athens,  Corinth, 
&c.  Philochorus  of  Athens,  the  historian,  ob.  222. 

226.  Aristo  Ceus,  the  philosopher,  ob.  about  183. 

225.  Cleomenes  kills  the  Ephori,  and  restores  the  Agrarian 
laws  of  Sparta.  The  Gauls  defeated  in  Italy.  Fa- 
bius  Pictor,  the  first  Roman  historian. 

224.  The  Romans  for  the  first  time  crossed  the  Po.  The 
Colossus  of  Rhodes  overturned  by  an  earthquake. 

221.  Phylarchus,  the  historian. 

220.  Rome  contains  270,213  citizens.  The  social  war  in 
Greece  begins,  and  lasts  3 years.  Plautus  of  Um- 
bria, the  comic  poet,  ob.  184.  A comet  appeared  in 
Aries,  and  was  seen  22  days. 


44 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

219,  Saguntum  destroyed  by  Hannibal. — Hannibal,  who 
had  accompanied  his  father  Ha  mil  car  into  Spain  in 
the  year  237,  was  educated  in  his  father’s  camp,  and 
at  nine  years  of  age  swore,  on  the  altar  of  his  coun- 
try, eternal  enmity  to  the  Homans  ; and  at  the  age  of 
25  years  succeeded  his  uncle  Asdrubal  in  the  com- 
mand of  Spain  ; and  after  taking  several  other  cities, 
he  laid  siege  to  Saguntum.  Of  this  place,  after  a 
siege  of  nine  months,  he  obtained  possession,  or  rather 
of  its  ruins  ; for  its  inhabitants,  faithful  to  their  alli- 
ance with  the  Romans,  raised  an  immense  pile  in  the 
centre  of  the  public  square,  consisting  of  all  their 
most  precious  things,  set  it  on  fire,  and  precipitated 
themselves  into  the  flames,  rather  than  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Carthaginians.  Those  who  escaped  the 
flames  became  victims  of  the  sword. 

The  art  of  surgery  introduced  into  Rome. 

218.  The  second  Punic  war  begins  with  Hannibal’s  passing 
the  Alps,  and  continues  17  years. 

217.  The  Romans  defeated  at  Thrasymene. 

216.  The  Romans  totally  defeated  at  Cannse. — From  the  de- 
struction of  Saguntum,  Hannibal  lei  his  army  over 
the  Pyrenees  and  the  Alps — a stupendous  undertak- 
ing ; and  when  he  arrived  in  Italy,  had  20,000  foot 
and  6,000  horse.  He  gained  four  great  victories  : 
those  of  the  Tecinus,  the  Trebia,  the  Thrasymenus, 
and  of  Cannse.  The  defeat  at  Cannse  was  the  most 
memorable  that  the  Romans  ever  suffered  ; more  than 
40,000  of  their  choice  troops  were  left  dead  on  the 
field,  and  the  city  of  Rome  trembled  for  its  safety. 
Hannibal  was  the  greatest  general  of  his  age,  and  he 
especially  displayed  his  great  skill  in  this  memorable 
battle.  Rome,  however,  was  saved  by  the  bravery 
and  caution  of  Fabius  Maximus,  to  whom  the  Ameri- 
can Washington  has  often  been  compared.  He  has 
been  called  the  American  Fabius. 

215.  Evandar,  the  philosopher  of  the  second  Academy. 

213.  All  the  records  in  China  destroyed  by  Shee-hoangtee. 
Erroneously  placed  by  many  in  246. 

212.  Syracuse  taken  by  Marcellus  after  a siege  of  3 
years. 

210.  Hermippus  of  Smyrna,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


45 


b.  e. 

207.  Claudius  Nero  defeats  and  kills  Asdrubal.  Zeno  of 
Tarsus,  the  Stoic  philosopher. 

205.  Ennius  of  Calabria,  the  poet,  brought  to  Rome  by  Cato 
the  qua3stor.  Sotion  of  Alexandria,  the  grammarian. 

204.  Scipio  besieged  Utica.  A meteor  in  the  form  of  a star 
appeared.  It  extended  from  the  east  to  the  west 
points  of  the  horizon.  See  Lubinlezki . 

203.  Scipio  in  one  day  took  the  two  camps  of  Asdrubal  and 
Syphax,  killing  40,000  men,  and  taking  6,000  prison- 
ers. These  two  generals  assembled  the  remains  of 
their  armies,  and  were  defeated  in  a second  combat ; 
in  consequence  of  which  victories  Publius  Scipio  be- 
came master  of  various  cities,  and  the  senate  of 
Carthage  was  under  the  necessity  of  recalling  Han- 
nibal to  Carthage.  Hannibal  exerted  his  utmost  en- 
deavors to  obtain  peace,  but  proved  unsuccessful  ; 
when  Scipio  gave  him  battle  on  the  plains  of  Zama, 
and  the  former  was  completely  overthrown,  with  the 
loss  of  40,000  men,  having  with  the  greatest  difficul 
ty  provided  for  his  own  safety  by  flight. 

202.  The  fifth  imperial  dynasty  of  China  begins.  Hannibal 
defeated  by  Scipio  at  Zama,  Oct.  19.  A shower  of 
meteoric  stones  fell  in  Italy. 

201.  Peace  obtained  by  the  Carthaginians,  and  the  end  of 
the  2d  Punic  war.  The  Roman  senate  granted  peace 
to  the  Carthaginians  upon  very  hard  terms  ; and 
Syphax,  king  of  Numidia,  was  sent  to  Rome  in  order 
to  grace  the  triumph  of  Scipio  ; where  that  unfor- 
tunate prince  shortly  after  died  in  prison.  For  his. 
victories  in  Africa,  the  surname  of  Africanus  was 
conferred  upon  Scipio. 

200.  The  first  Macedonian  war  begins,  and  continues  near 
4 years.  Aristophanes  of  Byzantium,  the  gramma- 
rian, ob.  set.  80.  A comet  appeared  in  Cancer. 

198.  Sidon  taken  by  Antiochus  after  the  battle  of  Panius. 
Asclepiades  Myrlianus,  the  grammarian. 

197.  The  Romans  send  two  praetors  into  Spain.  Licinius 
Tegula,  the  comic  poet. 

196.  Caius  Radius,  the  Roman  orator.  A comet  appeared. 
See  Heveiins  and  Cczsius. 

195.  Aristonymus,  the  4th  librarian  of  Alexandria,  ob.  set. 
77. 


CHRONOLOGY 


46 

B.  C. 

194.  A comet  appeared.  A shower  of  meteoric  stones  fell 
in  Italy.  Sparta  and  Hither  Spain  subdued  by  the 
Romans. 

193.  Hyginus  of  Pergamus,  philosopher  of  the  second  Acade- 
my. 

192.  The  war  of  Antiochus  the  Great  with  the  Romans  be- 
gins, and  continues  3 years.  Rome  contains  243,704 
effective  men. 

191.  Earthquakes  were  felt  at  Rome  during  38  days. 

190.  Scipio  defeats  Antiochus  in  the  battle  of  Magnesia. 

189.  The  Romans  make  peace  with  Antiochus. 

188.  Philopsemen  compels  the  Lacedaemonians  to  renounce 
the  laws  of  Lycurgus. 

187.  Antiochus  defeated  and  killed  in  Media.  Scipio  Afri- 
canus  banished  from  Rome. 

185.  Diogenes  of  Babylon,  the  Stoic  philosopher. 

183.  Philopsemen  defeated  and  killed  by  Dinocrates,  tyrant 
of  the  Messenians.  The  Transalpine  Gauls  march 
into  Italy.  A very  large  comet  appeared,  and 
£7  continued  visible  for  80  days.  See  LubiniezJd  and 
Hevelius . 

182.  The  stars  appeared  in  China  in  the  day  time. 

181.  The  plague  rages  at  Rome. 

180.  Demetrius  is  killed  by  his  father  Philip.  Statius 
Csecilius,  the  comic  poet,  ob.  after  166. 

179.  Rome  contains  273,244  effective  men.  Some  books  of 
Numa  found  at  Rome  in  a stone  coffin,  supposed  by 
Livy  to  be  forged,  and  burned. 

177.  Agarthacides  cf  Cnidus,  the  historian. 

176.  Heraclides,  called  Lembus,  the  historian. 

175.  A great  earthquake  in  China.  Pestilence  at  Rome. 

174.  A comet  appeared.  See  Hevelius  and  Ccesius . 

173.  Ennius  finishes  the  12th  book  of  his  annals.  Attains 
of  Rhodes,  the  astronomer  and  grammarian. 

172.  A comet  appeared  in  China  in  the  east.  See  Hevelius . 
Antiochus’s  first  expedition  in  Egypt. 

171.  The  2d  Macedonian  war  begins.  Antiochus  defeats 
Ptolemy’s  generals. 

170.  Paper  invented  in  China.  Antiochus  plunders  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem.  An  irruption  of  the  Tartars 
into  China. 

169.  Rome  contains  212,805  citizens. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


47 


B.  C. 

168.  Perseus  defeated  by  P.  iEmilius  at  Pydna.  An 
eclipse  of  the  moon  happened  the  preceding  night, 
foretold  by  Gallas.  A comet,  or  more  probably,  a 
meteor,  appeared.  C.  Sulpicius  Gallus,  the  tribune, 
and  the  1st  Roman  astronomer. 

167.  The  first  library  erected  at  Rome,  consisting  of  books 
brought  from  Macedon. 

166.  Terence  of  Carthage,  the  comic  poet,  ob.  159,  set.  35. 
His  first  play,  Andria,  acted  at  Rome.  Apollonius 
killed  by  Judas  Maccabseus.  A globe  of  fire  (fax) 
appeared. 

165.  Judas  purified  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  An  eruption 
of  iEtna.  Crates  Mallotes  of  Pergamus,  called  the 
critic.  A globe  of  fire  appeared. 

164.  Rome  contained  327,032  citizens.  Polybius  of  Mega- 
lopolis, the  historian,  ob.  124,  set.  82. 

163.  The  government  of  Judea  under  the  Maccabees  begins, 
and  continues  126  years.  M.  Pacuvius,  the  tragic 
poet,  ob.  about  131,  set.  90.  ■■ 

162.  Hipparchus  begins  his  astronomical  observations  at 
Rhodes.  Demetrius  takes  possession  of  Syria. 

161.  The  philosophers  and  rhetoricians  banished  from 
Rome. 

160.  Terence’s  last  play,  Adelphi,  acted  at  the  funeral 
of  P.  iEmilius.  Carneades  of  Gyrene,  ob.  128,  set. 
90. 

159.  Clepsydrse  invented  by  Scipio  Nasica. 

158.  An  irruption  of  the  Tartars  into  China.  Hipparchus 
observed  the  autumnal  equinox  on  Sunday,  Septem- 
ber 27,  about  mid-day. 

157.  A comet  appeared  in  China  in  the  9th  month. 

156.  Several  temples  of  Pergamus  plundered  by  Prusias, 
king  of  Bithvnia.  Aristarchus  of  Alexandria,  the 
great  grammarian,  ob.  set.  72. 

154.  A comet  appeared.  See  Hevelius  and  Lubiniezki . 

152.  Andriscus,  personating  the  son  of  Perseus,  assumes  the 
government  of  Macedon. 

150.  Demetrius,  king  of  Syria,  killed  by  A.  Balas.  Aristo- 
bulus  of  Alexandria,  the  Jew  and  Peripatetic  philoso- 
pher, ob.  after  124.  A very  large  comet  appeared, 
of  the  color  of  fire.  It  shone  with  intense  light,  and 
appeared  as  large  as  the  sun. 


48 


CHRONOLOGY 


B,  C.  ' 

149.  The  3d  Punic  war  commenced,  and  lasted  three  years. 
Prusias  put  to  death  by  Nicomedes. 

148.  Jonathan  Maccabaeus  defeats  Apollonius  in  the  battle  of 
Azotus,  and  takes  that  city  and  Ascalon.  A comet 
appeared  in  the  north  part  of  China,  in  the  4th 
month.  Satyrus  the  Peripatetic  philosopher  and  his- 
torian. 

147.  Rome  contained  322,000  citizens.  The  Romans  de- 
clare war  against  the  Achseans* 

146.  Carthage  destroyed  by  P.  Scipio,  and  Corinth  by  L. 
Mummius.  The  Carthaginians  having  taken  up 
arms  against  Massanissa,  king  of  Numidia,  a friend 
and  ally  of  Rome,  occasioned  the  third  Punic  war ; 
at  the  conclusion  of  which,  Carthage,  renowned  for 
arts,  opulence,  and  the  extent  of  its  dominion,  was 
plundered,  and  barbarously  levelled  to  the  ground. 
The  Carthaginians  having  delivered  up  their  arms  at 
the  demand  of  the  Romans,  the  consuls,  having  re- 
paired to  the  city  and  set  fire  to  the  Carthaginian  fleet, 
commanded  the  inhabitants  to  remove  and  establish 
themselves  at  the  distance  of  ten  leagues  from  the 
sea,  when  they  became  desperate,  and  set  about  re- 
supplying themselves  with  arms,  using  their  temples 
for  places  of  the  manufacture,  and  the  gold  and  silver  to 
supply  the  place  of  other  metals  ; even  the  females 
sacrificed  their  hair  to  be  manufactured  into  ropes. 
The  Romans  were  at  first  repulsed,  and  their  fleet  re- 
duced to  ashes.  But  the  valor  of  Scipio  and  the 
Romans  at  length  prevailed,  and  Carthage,  the  proud 
rival  of  Rome,  was  so  completely  destroyed,  that  no 
ruins  now  mark  the  spot  where  Carthage  once  stood. 
Scipio  iEmilius,  the  son  of  Paulus  iEmilius,  and  the 
adopted  grandson  of  Scipio  Africanus,  who  achieved 
this  great  victory,  had  the  honor  of  a triumph  at 
Rome,  and  received  the  surname  of  Second  Afri- 
canus. 

The  same  year  the  consul  Mummius  took  possession 
of  Achaia,  and  burned  the  city  of  Corinth  ; the  gen- 
eral council  of  Greece  was  suppressed,  and  the  coun- 
try was  reduced  to  a Roman  province  under  the  name 
of  Achaia . 

Thus  in  the  space  of  one  century,  Thrace,  Greece,  Af- 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


49 


B.  C. 

rica,  Syria,  and  all  the  kingdoms  of  Asia  Minor,  be- 
came subject  to  Rome.  This  was  the  eera  of  the 
dawn  cf  luxury  and  taste  at  Rome,  the  natural  fruit 
of  foreign  wealth,  and  an  acquaintance  with  foreign 
manners.  In  the  unequal  distribution  of  this  import 
ed  wealth,  and  the  corruption  of  manners  to  which  it 
gave  rise,  and  the  venality  and  vices  which  it  engen- 
dered, we  see  the  remote  cause  of  the  dissolution  of 
the  Roman  republic,  which  owed  its  prosperity  to  the 
poverty,  hardihood,  and  virtue  which  had  character- 
ized it  in  its  rise. 

Hipparchus  observed  the  vernal  equinox,  March  24,  at 
mid-day.  A remarkable  comet  appeared  in  Greece. 
It  continued  visible  for  23  days. 

145.  The  Romans  desolated  Greece. 

144.  Tryphon  murdered  Jonathan  and  his  brethren.  Antip- 
ater of  Tarsus,  the  Stoic  philosopher.  A very  bright 
comet  appeared  in  Capricorn,  and  was  seen  two 
days. 

143.  A great  earthquake  in  China. 

142.  Simon,  the  high  priest,  takes  the  castle  of  Jerusalem  ; 
repairs  it,  and  rescues  Judsea  from  the  Syrian  yoke. 

141.  The  Numantian  war  begins,  and  lasts  eight  years.  An 
eclipse  of  the  moon  observed  at  Alexandria,  on  Tues- 
day, Jan.  17,  two  hours  before  midnight. 

140.  Diodorus,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher. 

139.  Lucius  Accius,  the  tragic  poet,  flourished. 

138.  Panatius  of  Rhodes,  the  Stoic  philosopher. 

137.  Ptolemy  Physcon  patronises  the  arts  and  sciences. 
Nicander  of  Colophon,  the  physician  and  poet. 

136.  Scipio  Africanus,  &c.,  made  an  embassy  into  Egypt, 
Syria,  and  Greece.  Ctesibius  of  Alexandria,  the 
mathematician  and  inventor  of  hydraulic  instruments. 
A globe  of  fire  appeared. 

135.  The  history  of  the  Apocrypha  ends.  A comet  appeared 
in  the  N.  E.  part  of  China,  in  autumn.  The  war  of 
the  slaves  begins  in  Sicily. 

133.  Numantia  destroyed  by  Scipio.  Attalus  dies,  and  Per- 
gamus  is  added  to  the  Roman  empire.  Tiberius 
Gracchus  slain. 

132.  A comet  appeared  in  Gemini,  and  continued  visible  for 
83  days. 


5 


50 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

130.  Antiochus,  king  of  Syria,  defeated  and  killed.  The 
revival  of  learning  in  China.  In  129  and  130,  a very 
large  comet  appeared.  It  was  visible  for  TO  days, 
and  had  a diurnal  arc  of  4 hours. 

129.  The  temple  on  Gerizim  destroyed  by  Hreanus. 

128.  Hipparchus  observes  the  vernal  equinox  to  be  on  Thurs- 
day, March  23d,  about  sun-set,  and  afterwards  the 
star  Regulus  was  29°  50'  from  the  summer  solstitial 
colure.  Clitomachus  of  Carthage,  philosopher  of  the 
third  Academy,  ob.  about  100. 

127.  Hipparchus,  on  May  2d,  about  sunrise,  observed  the  sun 
in  7°  35'  y,  the  moon  in  21°  40'  and  their  mean 
distance  to  be  312°  32'— -he  observed  Spica  Virginis 
6°  W.  of  the  autumnal  equinoctial  point. 

124.  Apollonius  of  Nysa,  the  Stoic  philosopher. 

123.  Carthage  rebuilt  by  order  of  the  Roman  senate.  Ile- 
rodicus,  called  Cratiteus,  the  grammarian. 

122.  A very  large  comet  appeared. 

121.  A great  eruption  of  iEtna.  Caius  Gracchus  killed. 
L.  Cselius  Antipater,  the  Roman  historian. 

120.  A comet  appeared  in  the  eastern  part  of  China.  Castor 
of  Rhodes,  the  chronologer  and  historian. 

119.  Two  comets  appeared  in  China— one  in  spring,  in  the 
N.  E.,  and  another  in  summer,  in  the  N.  W.  A comet 
appeared  for  70  days.  Menecrates  of  Nysa,  the  gram- 
marian. 

118.  Narbonne  built  by  a Roman  colony.  Dalmatia  con- 
quered by  Metelius. 

116.  The  government  of  Egypt  assumed  by  Cleopatra.  Lu- 
cilius,  the  first  Roman  satirist,  ob.  103,  set.  46. 

115.  Apollodorus  of  Athens,  the  chronologer  and  gramma- 
rian. 

113.  Marcus  Antonius,  sen.,  the  Roman  orator,  ob.  87,  set. 
56. 

112.  The  Jugurthine  war  begins,  and  lasts  five  years. 

110.  A comet  appeared  in  China,  in  the  autumn.  Lucius 
Crassus,  the  orator,  ob.  91,  set.  49. 

109.  Samaria  taken  by  Hyrcanus.  The  Teutones  and  Cim- 
bri  attack  and  defeat  Silanus. 

108.  The  Romans  defeated  by  the  Cimbri.  Athenion,  the 
Peripatetic  philosopher,  ob.  about  95. 

]07.  Cicero  is  born. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


51 


B.  C. 

106.  Ptolemy  dethroned  by  Cleopatra.  Jugurtha  given  up 
to  Marius. 

104.  The  Cimbri  and  Teutones  defeat  the  Romans,  and  kill 
80,000  of  them  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhone. 

103.  The  Roman  people  obtain  the  power  of  electing  the 
prcetors. 

102.  The  Teutones  defeated  by  Marius  at  Aix — 200,000 
killed*  and  80,000  taken  prisoners. 

101.  Marius  and  Catullus  defeat  the  Cimbri,  of  whom  120,000 
are  killed,  and  60,000  taken  prisoners. 

100.  The  Agrarian  law  revived  by  Saturninus.  Julius  Ceesar 
born.  Philo,  the  philosopher  of  the  third  Academy. 

99.  The  Romans  conquer  Lusitania.  A globe  of  fire  ap- 
peared. 

97.  Ptolemy  Appion  dies,  and  leaves  his  kingdom  to  the  Ro- 
mans. Mesopotamia  occupied  by  the  Romans. 

96.  The  king  of  Parthia  sends  ambassadors  to  China. 

95.  Charmidas,  the  philosopher  of  the  third  Academy. 

94.  Antiochus  of  Cyzicum,  defeated  by  Seleucus. 

93.  Seleucus  defeated  by  Antiochus  the  Pious.  Apellicon 
Teius,  the  proprietor  of  a famous  library  at  Athens, 
ob.  about  86.  An  aurora  borealis  appeared. 

91.  The  Social  or  Marsic  war  commences,  and  is  finished 
by  Sylla  in  88.  L.  Sisenna,  the  Roman  historian. 

90.  A comet  appeared  in  Virgo.  Asclepiades  of  Prusias, 
the  physician,  ob.  after  63. 

89.  The  Mithridatic  war  begun.  Playfair  places  it  in  94. 

88.  The  civil  war  between  Marius  and  Sylla  begins,  and 
continues  six  years.  In  the  war  of  the  Romans 
against  Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus,  Sylla  obtained 
the  command  from  the  senate,  and  Marius  was  nom- 
inated by  the  people,  upon  which  the  former  marched 
to  Rome  and  took  possession  of  the  city,  and  Marius 
was  compelled  to  fly  and  secrete  himself,  and  Sylla 
caused  him  to  be  proclaimed  the  enemy  of  his  coun- 
try. During  the  protracted  contests  between  these 
partisans,  150,000  Roman  citizens  were  slain.  Alex- 
ander Polyhistor,  the  grammarian  and  historian. 

87.  Photius  Gallus,  the  first  Latin  rhetorician.  A comet  ap- 
peared in  the  N.  W.  of  China,  in  the  spring.  Others 
place  it  in  84. 

86.  Athens  taken  by  Sylla,  who  defeats  Archelaus. 


52 


CHRONOLOGY 


B.  C. 

85.  Diotimus  the  Stoic  philosopher,  ob.  after  83.  Rome  con- 
tains 464,000  citizens. 

84.  Q.  Valerius  Antias,  the  Roman  historian.  Peace  be- 
tween Mithridates  and  Sylla. 

83.  Zeno  of  Sidon,  the  Epicurean  philosopher.  Sylla  de- 
stroyed the  Capitol. 

82.  Sylla  plunders  the  temple  of  Delphos — defeats  Marius — 
is  created  dictator.  Quintus  Hortensius,  the  Roman 
orator,  ob.  50,  set.  63. 

81.  A.  Lucius  Archias,  the  poet. 

80.  Antipater  of  Sidon,  the  poet. 

79.  Sylla  resigns  the  dictatorship.  Possidonius  of  Apamea, 
the  Stoic  philosopher  and  astronomer,  ob.  after  51, 
set.  84. 

77.  Geminus  of  Rhodes,  the  astronomer  and  mathematician. 

76.  Apollonius  of  Rhodes,  the  rhetorician. 

75.  Nicomedes,  king  of  Bithynia,  dies  and  leaves  his  king- 
dom to  the  Romans.  Theodosius  of  Tripoli,  the 
mathematician. 

73.  The  Servile  war  begins  under  Spartacus,  &c. 

71.  Spartacus  being  defeated  by  Crassus,  the  Servile  war 
ends.  Tyrannio,  the  grammarian,  ob.  after  56. 

70.  The  censorship  revived  at  Rome.  M.  Terentius  Varro, 
ob.  28,  set.  88.  Virgil  born. 

69.  The  Roman  Capitol  rebuilt.  Rome  contains  450,000 
citizens.  Lucullus  defeats  Mithridates.  A comet 
appeared  in  the  west  of  China,  in  the  spring. 

68.  Aristodemus  of  Crete,  the  grammarian. 

67.  Mithridates  defeated  by  Pompey  in  Armenia.  The  war 
of  the  Pirates. 

66.  Crete  reduced  to  a Roman  province. 

65.  The  reign  of  the  Seleucidse  ends.  And  Syria  reduced 
to  a Roman  province.  A very  large  comet  appeared. 
T.  Lucretius  Cams,  ob.  54,  set.  44. 

64.  Dionysius  of  Thrace,  the  grammarian. 

63,  Catiline’s  conspiracy  detected  by  Cicero.  Mithridates 
killed  himself.  Jerusalem  taken  by  Pompey. 

62.  Antiochus,  the  philosopher  of  the  third  Academy. 

61.  L.  Taruntius  Spurina,  the  mathematician,  ob.  after  44. 

60.  A comet  was  observed  by  Possidonius,  during  an  eclipse 
of  the  sun.  The  first  triumvirate  between  Pompey, 
Csesar,  and  Crassus.  Pompey,  Crassus,  and  Csesar, 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


53 


B.  C. 

being  the  most  considerable  men  at  Rome,  a league 
was  formed  between  them  for  appropriating  to  them- 
selves the  whole  power  of  the  state.  This  league 
was  denominated  the  First  Triumvirate . They  dis- 
tributed among  themselves  the  foreign  provinces  * 
Pompey  received  Spain  and  Africa ; Crassus,  Syria ; 
and  Caesar,  Gaul,  most  of  which  was  yet  unconquered. 
Pompey  remained  at  Rome ; Crassus  made  war  upon 
the  Parthians,  and  was  killed  in  the  year  53 ; and 
Caesar,  in  eight  brilliant  campaigns,  conquered  Gaul 
and  a part  of  Britain.  Catullus,  the  lyric  poet,  ob. 
about  40,  aet.  46. 

59.  Andronicus  of  Rhodes,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher. 

58.  Cicero  banished  by  the  intrigues  of  Clodius. 

57.  Cicero  recalled  from  exile.  Sallust,  the  historian,  ex- 
pelled from  the  senate  in  50,  ob.  35,  aet.  51. 

55.  Caesar  passes  the  Rhine,  and  defeats  the  Germans.  Cae- 
sar’s first  invasion  of  Britain.  Ptolemy,  king  of 
Egypt,  restored.  Pompey  builds  a stone  theatre  for 
public  amusements. 

54.  Caesar’s  second  invasion  of  Britain.  Timagenesof  Alex- 
andria, the  historian  and  rhetorician. 

53.  Crassus  killed,  and  his  army  defeated  by  the  Parthians, 
Cratippus,  the  Peripatetic  philosopher. 

52.  Milo  murders  Clodius. 

51.  Gaul  becomes  a Roman  province. 

50.  The  civil  war  begins,  Oct.  22d.  Pompey  and  Caesai 
became  arrayed  against  each  other,  and  the  dominion 
over  the  Roman  empire  was  the  splendid  prize  for 
which  they  contended.  On  the  side  of  Pompey,  the 
consuls,  and  senate,  and  aristocracy  of  Rome  arrayed 
themselves ; and  Caesar  enjoyed  the  high  favor  of  his 
troops,  and  great  popularity  with  the  citizens.  Plaving 
conquered  Gaul,  Caesar  led  his  army  to  Rome.  The 
small  river  Rubicon  was  the  boundary  between  Italy 
and  Cisalpine  Gaul,  and  by  passing  this  river  Caesar 
had  no  alternative  but  to  conquer  Rome,  or  die ; and 
hence  to  pass  the  Rubicon  has  become  a proverbial 
expression  for  taking  a bold  and  decisive  step.  Pom- 
pey had  not  an  army  at  Rome  sufficient  to  cope  with 
that  of  Caesar ; and  hence,  together  with  the  consuls, 
senate,  and  grandees  of  Rome,  he  fled  into  Thes- 


54 

B.  C. 


CHRONOLOGY 


saly. — Rome  contains  320,000  citizens.  A comet 
appeared. 

49.  Caesar  proclaimed  dictator.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 
Cornelius  Nepos,  ob.  about  25. 

48.  The  battle  of  Pharsaiia,  between  Caesar  and  Pompey. 
The  forces  of  Caesar  were  22,000  men,  while  those 
of  Pompey  were  45,000  foot  and  7,000  horse.  But 
the  army  of  Caesar  consisted  of  veterans,  inured  to  the 
fatigues  and  discipline  of  war,  while  those  of  Pompey, 
with  some  good  soldiers,  contained  many  luxurious 
young  patricians  who  dreaded  the  loss  of  their  beauty, 
and  therefore  Caesar  directed  his  troops  to  aim  at  their 
faces,  by  which  they  were  more  easily  discomfited. 
Pompey  was  utterly  defeated  ; 15,000  were  left  dead 
upon  the  field,  and  24,000  surrendered  as  prisoners 
of  war,  and  he  fled  to  Egypt,  where  he  hoped  to  find 
protection  from  its  monarch ; but  he  was  basely  mur- 
dered by  the  order  of  the  Egyptian  king. — Varro,  the 
poet. 

47.  A very  large  comet  appeared.  Julius  Caesar  retakes 
Alexandria.  The  Alexandrian  library  destroyed. 

46.  The  war  of  Africa.  Cato  kills  himself  at  Utica.  This 
year,  called  the  year  of  confusion , was  corrected  by 
Sosigenes  of  Alexandria,  and  consisted  of  15  months 
and  445  days. 

45.  Battle  of  Munda.  Caesar  rebuilds  Carthage  and  Corinth. 

44.  Caesar  killed  in  the  senate-house,  aet.  56.  Caesar  was 
assassinated  in  the  open  senate  on  the  15th  of  March, 
by  the  conspirators,  among  whom  was  Brutus,  who 
had  previously  been  pardoned  by  Caesar  for  a revolt, 
on  seeing  whom,  he  exclaimed,  “ And  you  too,  Brutus, 
my  son  and  fell  pierced  by  twenty-three  wounds. 
Thus  fell  this  mighty  conqueror,  after  having  fought 
fifty  pitched  battles,  in  which  were  slain  1,192,000 
men,  and  captured  by  assault  more  than  1,000  cities 
and  towns.  Mark  Antony  delivered  a funeral  ora- 
tion over  his  body,  by  which  he  excited  the  greatest 
indignation  against  his  murderers. — A comet  appeared 
in  China,  and  at  Rome,  where  it  was  observed  for 
seven  days  after  Caesar’s  death.  Diodorus  Siculus, 
the  historian. 

43.  A shower  of  iron  is  said  by  Pliny  to  have  fallen  in  Lu- 


OF  THE  WORLD.  55 

B,  C. 

cania,  the  year  preceding  the  defeat  of  Crassus.  The 
second  triumvirate  between  Octavius,  Antony,  and 
Lepidus.  Cicero  put  to  death,  Dec.  7th.  After  the 
death  of  Csesar,  the  Second  Triumvirate  was  formed, 
consisting  of  Octavius,  Antony,  and  Lepidus.  One 
of  their  first  acts  was  for  each  to  give  up  even  their 
own  friends  who  were  obnoxious  to  the  others,  to  pro- 
scription and  to  death.  Antony  claimed  that  Cicero, 
who  had  uttered  severe  censures  against  him,  should 
be  given  up  to  death,  to  which  Octavius,  who  was  his 
friend,  consented  with  some  reluctance  ; and  each  of 
the  others  named  some  persons  who  were  obnoxious  to 
them.  Cicero  was  overtaken  while  attempting  to  flee, 
his  head  was  cut  off  and  carried  with  his  hands  to 
Antony.  Fulvia,  the  wife  of  Antony,  took  the  head 
in  her  lap,  spit  upon  it,  and  drawing  out  the  tongue 
pierced  it  several  times  with  a bodkin.  The  head 
and  hands  were  fixed  upon  the  rostra,  which  drew 
tears  from  the  virtuous  citizens. 

42,  Cassius  and  Brutus  defeated  by  Antony  at  Philippi. 

41.  A great  famine  at  Rome.  An  earthquake  in  China. 
Trogus  Pompeius,  the  historian. 

40.  Antigonus  occupies  Jerusalem.  Herod  receives  Judasa 
from  the  Romans.  Didymus,  the  scholiast. 

39,  Syria  and  Palestine  recovered  by  the  Romans. 

38.  The  senate  makes  67  praetors. 

37.  Pompey  gained  the  empire  of  the  sea.  Sosius  took  Je- 
rusalem and  Herod.  Antigonus  put  to  death. 

36.  Sextus  Pompeius  defeated  in  Sicily.  Lepidus  degraded 
from  the  triumvirate,  and  banished.  Virgilius  Maro, 
ob.  19,  set.  51. 

34.  Antony  seizes  Armenia.  Marcus  Manlius,  the  astro- 
nomical poet. 

33.  Dioscorides,  physician  to  Antony  and  Cleopatra. 

32.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 

31.  The  battle  of  Actium,  Sept.  2d.  Antony  and  Cleopatra 
defeated.  Antony  had  yielded  himself  up  to  a mad 
passion  for  Cleopatra,  and  had  espoused  her,  giving 
her  as  a dowry  Phoenicia,  lower  Syria,  the  island  of 
Cyprus,  Cilicia,  Arabia,  and  a portion  of  Judeea,  and 
caused  her  to  be  called  queen  of  queens,  and  her  son 
Ptolemy,  king  of  kings.  The  Roman  senate,  indig- 


56 

B.  C. 


CHRONOLOGY 


nant  at  these  fooleries,  declared  war  against  him, 
when  he  retired  with  Cleopatra  to  Ephesus,  at  which 
place  he  collected  a fleet  of  800  vessels,  200  of  which 
were  furnished  by  Cleopatra,  who  persuaded  him  to 
combat  by  sea,  though  his  land  forces  were  more  nu- 
merous than  those  of  Octavius.  The  battle  was  fought 
near  the  promontory  of  Actium,  during  which  Cleopa- 
tra fled  with  60  of  her  ships ; when  Antony,  in  de- 
spair, followed  her  in  one  of  his  best  vessels,  and  the 
remaining  part  of  his  ships  submitted  to  Octavius, 
while  his  army,  consisting  of  19  legions,  containing 
12,000  horse,  went  over  to  the  standard  of  the  victor. 
This  battle  terminated  the  commonwealth  of  Rome. 
An  earthquake  in  Judsea.  Asinius  Pollio,  the  orator 
and  historian,  ob.  A.  D.  4,  set.  80. 

30.  Alexandria  taken  by  Octavius.  Antony  and  Cleopatra 
put  themselves  to  death.  Egypt  reduced  to  a Roman 
province.  Antony  destroyed  himself  by  falling  on  his 
own  sword,  and  Cleopatra  poisoned  herself  by  an  asp, 
brought  to  her  for  the  purpose,  in  a basket  of  figs. 
Octavius  intended  to  have  led  her  in  triumph  to  Rome. 
The  revenue  of  Rome  was  computed  to  amount  at  this 
time  to  400,000,000  pounds  sterling.  Strabo,  the 
geographer,  ob.  A.  D.  25.  In  this  and  the  following 
year,  a comet  appeared  in  Libra,  and  w.as  seen  for  29 
days. 

29.  Horatius  Flaccus,  ob.  8,  set.  57.  Csesar  triumphed  three 
days  in  Rome.  Temple  of  Janus  shut.  Rome  con- 
tains 4,101,017  citizens. 

28.  iEmilius  Macer  of  Verona,  the  poet,  ob.  16. 

27.  The  title  of  Augustus  and  of  emperor,  for  10  years,  con- 
ferred upon  Octavius,  by  a decree  of  the  senate.  The 
Pantheon  at  Rome  built.  A great  famine  in  Palestine. 
S.  Aurelius  Propertius,  the  elegiac  poet.  A comet 
appeared.  See  Hevelius . 

25.  The  Egyptians  adopt  the  Julian  year,  and  fix  their  Thoth 
to  begin  always  on  Aug.  29th.  Titus  Livius,  ob.  A. 
D.  17,  set.  76* 

23.  A large  comet  was  seen  this  year.  Antonius  Musa,  the 
physician. 

22.  A great  pestilence  in  Italy. 

21.  Augustus  recalls  Agrippa,  and  gives  him  Julia  in  mar- 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


57 


B.  C. 

riage.  Tibullus,  the  elegiac  poet,  ob.  about  19, 
set.  24. 

20.  Tiberius  recovers  the  Roman  ensigns  from  the  Parthians. 
Porus,  king  of  India,  solicits  an  alliance  with  Augus- 
tus. Ovidius  Naso  banished  to  Tomi,  A.  D.  9,  ob. 
17,  set.  59. 

19.  Rome  at  the  meridian  of  its  glory.  Agrippa  constructed 
the  aqueducts  at  Rome.  The  celebrated  poet  Virgil 
died  in  the  51st  year  of  his  age,  and  by  his  will  en- 
joined that  the  iEneid  should  be  burned,  not  having 
put  the  finishing  touches  to  that  great  work.  Augus- 
tus, however,  countermanded  the  testamentary  order 
of  the  poet,  for  which  posterity  will  thank  him. 

Herod,  who  at  this  period  commanded  the  Jews,  being 
anxious  to  acquire  their  good-will,  which  he  had  for- 
feited, proposed  rebuilding  the  temple  of  Jerusalem 
at  his  own  charge,  and  in  a manner  more  magnificent 
than  that  of  Solomon,  which  was  assented  to,  and  the 
structure  completed  in  the  most  sumptuous  manner. 

18.  Augustus  reduces  the  senate  to  300,  and  afterwards  limits 
them  to  600. 

17.  The  Secular  games  revived.  Varius  and  Tucca,  critics 
and  editors  of  the  iEneid. 

16.  Agrippa  goes  to  Syria,  and  thence  to  Judaea. 

15.  The  Rhaetians  defeated  by  Drusus.  M.  Vitruvius  Pollio, 
the  architect. 

14.  A great  conflagration  at  Rome. 

13.  The  office  of  Pontifex  Maximus  assumed  by  Augustus, 
who  burns  2,000  pontifical  books,  reserving  those  of 
the  Sibylline  oracles. 

12.  A comet  was  seen  for  several  days  near  Rome.  Tibe- 
rius conquers  the  Pannonians.  Nicholas  Damascenus, 
the  philosopher.  Agrippa  dies. 

11.  Drusus  conquers  several  German  nations. 

10.  The  city  of  Caesarea  built  by  Herod. 

9.  Drusus’s  expedition  into  Germany,  where  he  dies,  July 
20th.  C.  Julius  Hyginus,  the  grammarian  and  poet. 

8.  Augustus  corrects  the  calendar.  Rome  and  its  suburbs 
contain  4,233,000  citizens.  Verrius  Flaccus,  the 
grammarian,  and  tutor  to  Augustus’s  grandsons. 

6.  Tiberius,  jealous  of  the  two  Caesars,  retires  to  Rhodes. 

5.  Q.  Varus  appointed  governor  of  Syria.  A comet  ap- 


58 

B.  C. 


CHRONOLOGY 


peared  in  China.  Our  Saviour  born  on  Monday^ 
Dec.  25th,  or  Sept.,  four  years  before  the  common 
sera.  This  is  called  the  Vulgar  2Era,  because  Diony- 
sius the  monk,  who  wrote  about  the  year  526,  being 
desirous  of  adopting  this  mode  of  computation,  com- 
mitted an  error  of  four  years.  He  thought  that  Christ 
had  been  born  under  the  consulate  of  Caius  Csesar 
and  Lucius  iEmilius  Paulus,  while  it  appears  from 
the  most  exact  researches  that  he  came  into  the  world 
four  years  and  seven  days  previous.  The  mistake  of 
Dionysius,  surnamed  the  Lesser,  was,  however,  gen- 
erally adopted,  and  has  been  uniformly  adhered  to 
ever  since.  About  this  time  the  temple  of  Janus  was 
shut  by  Augustus,  as  an  emblem  of  the  universal 
peace  which  then  prevailed.  This  temple,  which  was 
always  open  in  time  of  war,  was  shut  but  three  times 
for  more  than  700  years  ; and  during  that  long  period 
of  time,  the  Romans  were  continually  engaged  in  war. 
Cyrenius  appointed  governor  of  Judaea.  Dionysius 
of  Halicarnassus,  the  historian. 

4.  An  eclipse  of  the  moon  observed  at  Jerusalem,  March 
13th,  middle  2 hours  45'  after  midnight. 

2.  Julia  banished  by  Augustus.  Dionysius,  the  geogra- 
pher. 

1.  An  interview  between  Caius  Caesar  and  Tiberius.  A 
comet  appeared. 

First  Century. 

4.  D. 

1.  C.  Caesar  makes  peace  with  the  Parthians. 

2.  Tiberius  returns  to  Rome.  L.  Caesar  dies. 

3.  C.  Caesar  dies.  China’s  conspiracy  detected. 

4.  Leap  year  corrected.  Phaedrus  flourished. 

6.  A great  famine  at  Rome. 

7.  Germanicus  marches  against  the  Pannonians. 

8.  Jesus  Christ  disputes  in  the  temple.  Asinius  Galiius, 

ob.  33.  Germanicus,  ob.  19,  aet.  34. 

9.  The  Romans  subdue  Dalmatia.  Yarus,  then  command- 

ing on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  was  deceived  by  Ar- 
minius,  general  of  the  Cherusci,  a people  of  Germany 
who  inhabited  between  the  Weser  and  the  Elbe,  and 
in  a defile  where  he  was  incapable  of  fighting  or  of 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


59 


4.  D. 

retreating.  The  Romans  in  that  disastrous  affair  lost 
three  legions  and  as  many  corps  of  cavalry,  upon 
which  Varus  in  despair  fell  upon  his  own  sword, 
having  received  many  wounds.  The  Cherusci  took 
possession  of  two  eagles,  a black  and  white  standard, 
which  circumstance  it  is  said  gave  rise  to  the  present 
German  arms.  This  melancholy  catastrophe  spread 
the  greatest  consternation  throughout  Rome,  and  it  is 
said  that  Augustus  upon  the  occasion  exclaimed  in 
accents  of  despair,  “ Varus,  restore  me  my  legions!” 
All  the  citizens  from  the  age  of  25  to  35  years  re- 
ceived orders  to  proceed  to  Germany  under  the  com- 
mand of  Tiberius ; who  re-established  discipline,  but 
contented  himself  with  ravaging  the  borders  of  the 
Rhine,  fearful  of  risking  his  reputation  by  a general 
engagement.  Two  years  afterwards  he  was  replaced 
by  Germanicus,  and  returned  to  Rome,  where  he  en- 
joyed three  triumphs,  and  Augustus  raised  him  to  be  his 
associate  in  the  empire,  the  consulate,  and  the  tribune. 

10.  In  this  year  or  in  the  year  12,  a comet  was  seen  in 
Aries  for  32  days.  The  Romans  defeated  by  Armin- 
ius,  a German  general. 

13.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 

14.  Rome  contains  4,037,000  citizens.  Augustus  dies  at 

Nola,  Aug.  19th,  set.  76.  When  he  experienced  the 
approaches  of  death,  he  said  to  his  confidential  at- 
tendants, “ Have  I not  played  my  part  admirably  ? 
The  piece  is  finished:  give  your  plaudits.”  In  re- 
ference to  the  beginning  and  end  of  his  life,  it  has 
been  said,  “ It  would  have  been  good  for  mankind  if 
he  had  never  been  bom  or  never  had  died.” 

15.  Valleius  Paterculus,  ob.  31. 

16.  Mathematicians  and  magicians  expelled  from  Rome. 

17.  Cappadocia  reduced  to  a province.  An  earthquake  de- 

stroys 12  cities  in  Asia.  Cornelius  Celsus. 

18.  Tiberius  built  by  Herod. 

19.  Jews  banished  from  Rome. 

21.  Theatre  of  Pompey  consumed  by  fire.  A comet  ap- 
peared in  China. 

23.  Valerius  Maximus. 

26.  Tiberius  goes  to  the  island  Capraea.  John  the  Baptist 
begins  his  ministry. 


60 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

27.  A conflagration  at  Rome.  Pilate  made  governor  of 
Judaea.  Jesus  baptized  by  John. 

32.  Columella  flourished. 

33.  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  crucified  on  Friday,  April 

3d,  at  3 o’clock  P.  M.  Resurrection  on  Sunday, 
April  5th.  Ascension,  Thursday,  May  14th. 

36.  St.  Paul  converted.  Vitellius,  the  new  governor  of 

Syria,  commanded  Pontius  Pilate  to  repair  to  Rome, 
and  justify  himself  from  the  numerous  complaints 
sent  in,  respecting  his  maladministration ; when  the 
senate,  having  heard  his  defence,  exiled  him  to  Vienne, 
a town  of  the  Allobroges ; where  he  at  length  killed 
himself  in  the  year  39. 

37.  Tiberius  dies  after  a reign  of  23  years,  aet.  78.  The 

beginning  of  his  reign  seemed  to  promise  tranquillity 
to  the  world ; but  his  real  character  soon  disclosed 
itself.  His  ingratitude  to  his  mother  Livia,  his  cruelty 
to  his  wife  Julia,  and  his  tyrannical  oppression  and 
murder  of  many  noble  senators  rendered  him  odious 
to  the  people u The  mutiny  of  the  armies  in  Pannonia 
and  Germany  alarmed  his  fears,  and  led  him  to  pay 
great  deference  to  the  senate.  The  activity  and  valor 
of  Germanicus,  one  of  his  best  generals,  excited  his 
jealousy,  and  he  is  supposed  to  have  been  accessory 
to  his  death  in  Antioch.  Not  only  his  relations  and 
friends  were  sacrificed  to  his  ambition  and  cruelty, 
but  there  was  scarcely  in  Rome  a single  family  that 
did  not  reproach  Tiberius  for  the  loss  of  a father,  a 
brother,  or  a husband.  He  nominated  as  his  suc- 
cessor, Caius  Caligula,  who  was  accused  of  having 
hastened  his  end  by  suffocating  him.  In  the  18th  year 
of  this  monarch’s  reign  Christ  was  crucified ; as  if,  as 
Dr.  Goldsmith  says,  the  universal  depravity  of  mankind 
wanted  no  less  a sacrifice  than  that  of  God  himself  to 
reclaim  them  ! Shortly  after  his  death,  Pilate  wrote 
to  Tiberius  an  account  of  his  passion,  resurrection, 
and  miracles ; upon  which  the  emperor  made  a report 
of  the  whole  to  the  senate,  desiring  that  Christ  might 
be  accounted  a god  by  the  Romans.  But  the  senate, 
being  displeased  that  the  proposal  had  not  come  first 
from  themselves,  refused  to  allow  his  apotheosis; 
alleging  an  ancient  law  which  gave  them  the  super- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


61 


intendence  in  all  matters  of  religion.  This  fact  is 
referred  to  in  the  Apology  for  Christianity  by  Ter- 
tullian,  who  would  not  have  been  likely  to  have  done 
it,  if  it  could  not  have  been  verified  by  public  docu- 
ments. They  even  went  so  far  as  by  an  edict  to 
command  that  all  Christians  should  leave  the  city ; 
but  Tiberius,  by  another  edict,  threatened  death  to  all 
such  as  should  accuse  them ; by  which  means  they 
continued  unmolested  during  the  rest  of  his  reign. 

39.  A conjunction  of  Saturn,  Jupiter,  and  Mars.  St.  Mat- 

thew, according  to  Blair,  writes  his  gospel.  Philo 
Judaeus  flourished. 

40.  The  name  of  Christians  given  at  Antioch.  Petronius 

appointed  governor  of  Syria.  A comet  appeared  in 
Gemini. 

41.  Caligula  assassinated  by  Chereas.  Caligula,  the  suc- 

cessor of  Tiberius,  was  little  better  than  a madman, 
notorious  alike  for  his  follies  and  his  vices.  During 
the  first  eight  months  of  his  reign,  Rome  expected 
universal  prosperity,  but  he  soon  became  wanton  and 
cruel.  He  built  a temple  to  himself,  and  ordered 
that  the  image  of  his  own  head  be  placed  on  the  images 
of  the  gods ; he  committed  incest  with  his  three  sis- 
ters, and  became  such  a monster  of  cruelty  that  he 
even  wished  that  the  people  of  Rome  had  but  one 
neck,  that  he  might  cut  it  off  with  one  blow.  His 
favorite  horse  was  sumptuously  accommodated  in  a 
marble  stable ; his  horse  and  his  wife  were  admitted 
to  the  honors  of  the  priesthood,  and  he  crowned  his 
absurd  fooleries  by  becoming  a priest  to  himself.  Of 
all  his  vices  his  extreme  prodigality  was  the  most  re- 
markable ; the  luxuries  of  former  emperors  were 
simplicity  itself,  compared  with  those  which  he  prac- 
tised. His  impieties  were  subordinate  to  his  cruelties  ; 
he  caused  many  distinguished  citizens  to  be  put  to 
death  merely  to  possess  himself  their  riches.  Caligula 
undertook  a military  expedition  to  Britain,  but  con- 
tented himself  with  causing  his  troops  to  collect  shells 
upon  the  beach,  and  returned  in  triumph  to  Rome. 
At  length  a deep-laid  conspiracy,  under  the  guidance 
of  Chereas,  rids  the  world  of  this  monster,  by  assassi- 
nating him  in  a bath,  at  the  age  of  25  years,  having 
6 


62  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

reigned  a little  more  than  three  years  and  ten  months. 
Seneca  says  of  him,  that  nature  seems  to  have  brought 
him  forth  to  show  what  was  possible  to  be  produced 
from  the  greatest  vice,  supported  by  the  greatest  au- 
thority. He  was  succeeded  by  Claudius  his  uncle. 
He  caused  two  registers,  those  of  the  sword  and  the 
dagger  to  be  burned,  in  which  were  enrolled  the 
names  of  those  persons  whom  his  predecessor  had 
destined  to  premature  deaths. 

43.  Claudius’s  expedition  into  Britain.  Claudius  dispatched 

his  lieutenant  Plautius  to  Britain  for  its  subjugation, 
who  gained  some  advantages  previously  to  his  arrival 
in  person  ; but  after  remaining  16  days,  Claudius  re- 
turned to  Rome,  which  he  entered  with  the  honors  of 
a triumph. 

44.  Peter  imprisoned.  James  put  to  death.  St.  Mark,  ac- 

cording to  Blair,  wrote  his  gospel. 

45.  Vespasian’s  successful  war  in  Britain.  Vespasian  and 

Titus  displayed  singular  valor  and  conduct  under 
Plautius,  where  they  dbught  30  successful  battles, 
took  20  towns,  and  made  themselves  masters  of  the 
Isle  of  Wight,  and  thus  reduced  Britain  to  the  condi- 
tion of  a Roman  province.  Pomponius  Mela  the  ge- 
ographer. 

47.  A new  island  appeared  in  the  iEgean  Sea.  The  secular 

games  celebrated  at  Rome.  Caractacus  the  British 
king. 

48.  A comet  appeared.  See  Lubiniezki. 

50.  London  built  by  the  Romans  about  this  time. 

51.  Caractacus  carried  in  chains  to  Rome.  He  was  king 

of  the  Silures  in  South  Wales,  and  for  nine  years 
kept  the  Romans  at  bay,  but  was  at  length  over- 
powered by  the  Roman  legions,  and  was  led  a pris- 
oner to  Rome  ; and  looking  round  with  wonder  at  the 
magnificence  of  the  imperial  city,  he  exclaimed, 
“ Alas,  how  is  it  possible  that  a people  possessed  of 
such  magnificence  at  home,  could  think  of  envying 
Caractacus  an  humble  cottage  in  Britain  !”  He  was 
one  of  nature’s  noblemen,  and  was  pardoned  by 
Claudius.  A comet  appeared. 

52.  The  council  of  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem.  Astrologers 

expelled  Italy.  Paul  preaches  at  Athens. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


63 


A.  D. 

54.  In  54  or  56  a comet  appeared  in  Cancer.  It  was  visible 

during  4 months,  and  moved  from  the  north  to  the 
east.  Claudius  dies,  having  been  poisoned  by  his 
wife  Agrippina,  the  mother  of  Nero  by  a former 
husband.  She  was  apprehensive  of  death  herself, 
and  wished  to  secure  the  elevation  of  her  son.  Nero 
succeeds  at  the  age  of  17  years.  At  first  he  appeared 
liberal  and  humane,  and  when  called  upon  to  sign  a 
death-warrant,  exclaimed,  “ Would  to  heaven  I had 
never  learned  to  write  !”  But  at  length  signing 
death-warrants  became  a mere  pastime. 

55.  Csesar  landed  in  Britain.  Aug.  26,  a comet  appeared 

in  China.  Paul  preached  at  Ephesus. 

56.  Rotterdam  built  about  this  time. 

57.  A comet  appeared  in  57  or  58.  Persius,  ob.  62,  eet.  30. 

59.  Nero  caused  his  mother  Agrippina  to  be  put  to  death. 

Surveying  her  dead  body  he  was  heard  to  say,  ‘‘that 
he  had  never  thought  his  mother  so  handsome.5’  She 
deserved  on  account  of  her  own  cruelty  to  suffer,  but 
not  at  his  hands.  Thus  began  a career  of  iniquity 
such  as  the  world  has  rarely  seen  beside,  which  has 
caused  his  name  to  signify  proverbially  all  that  is  ty- 
rannical and  cruel.  Paul’s  defence  before  Felix. 

60.  A comet  appeared  at  Rome,  and  in  China.  It  was  seen 

for  6 months  in  great  brilliancy.  The  Christian  re- 
ligion published  in  Britain.  Paul’s  defence  before 
Festus. 

61.  Boadicea  defeats  the  Romans,  but  soon  after  is  conquered 

by  Suetonius.  Boadicea,  queen  of  th*e  Iceni,  whose 
daughters  had  been  ravished  by  the  Romans,  and 
herself  afflicted  with  stripes  for  remonstrating  against 
the  outrage,  rose  against  her  oppressors,  and  with  an 
army  of  230,000  men,  attacked  the  Romans  under 
Suetonius,  whom  she  routed,  after  having  slain  70,000 
persons.  But  the  Romans  afterwards  avenged  the 
loss,  by  slaughtering  80,000  Britons,  when  Queen 
Boadicea,  in  despair,  poisoned  herself.  A comet  ap- 
peared. Petronius  Arbiter,  ob.  about  66. 

62.  St.  Paul  sent  in  bonds  to  Rome.  In  62  or  64  a comet 

appeared. 

63.  A great  earthquake  in  Asia. 

64.  A conflagration  in  Rome.  The  conflagration  of  Rome, 


64 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


by  which  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  city  was  de- 
stroyed, was  believed  to  have  taken  place  by  Nero’s 
orders.  A report  was  publicly  circulated  that  he  had 
viewed  it  with  pleasure  from  the  top  of  a tower,  sing- 
ing a poem  on  the  burning  of  Troy.  He  had  looked 
with  uneasiness  upon  the  irregularity  of  the  city  and 
its  narrow  and  crooked  streets,  and  caused  it  to  be  re- 
built in  a manner  which  increased  its  beauty ; but 
the  conflagration  had  caused  an  immense  loss  of  prop- 
erty and  great  distress.  To  remove  from  himself  the 
odium  of  the  execrable  action  of  setting  it  on  fire,  he 
charged  it  upon  the  Christians,  who  were  becoming 
considerably  numerous  in  Rome,  and  thus  commenced 
the  first  general  persecution  of  the  Christians.  Their 
death  and  tortures  were  aggravated  by  cruel  derision 
and  sport ; for  they  were  either  covered  with  the 
skins  of  wild  beasts  and  torn  in  pieces  by  devouring 
dogs,  or  fastened  to  crosses,  and  wrapped  up  in  com- 
bustible garments,  that  when  the  daylight  failed,  they 
might  like  torches  dispel  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
For  this  tragical  spectacle,  Nero  lent  his  own  exten- 
sive and  beautiful  gardens,  erected  since  the  burning 
of  the  city,  and  exhibited  at  the  same  time  the  diver- 
sions of  the  circus,  sometimes  driving  a chariot  in 
person,  and  sometimes  standing  as  a spectator,  while 
the  shrieks  of  women  burning  to  ashes  supplied  music 
for  his  ears. 

Quintus  Curtius. 

65.  Prodigies  seen  at  Jerusalem.  Seneca,  Lucan,  and  others 

put  to  death. 

66.  Nero  goes  into  Greece.  The  Jewish  war  begins  in 

May.  A comet  appeared.  Pliny  the  historian,  ob. 
79. 

67.  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  put  to  death  about  June  29th. 

Vespasian  defeats  the  Jews,  and  takes  Josephus  pris- 
oner. 

68.  A comet  appeared.  Nero  dies.  The  cruelties  of  Nero 

excited  the  indignation  of  the  whole  Roman  empire  ; 
he  was  declared  by  the  senate  an  enemy  of  the  state, 
and  condemned  to  be  whipped  to  death  with  rods. 
When  about  to  be  overtaken  by  his  pursuers,  he  put 
an  end  to  his  life  by  a dagger  by  the  aid  of  his  secre- 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


65 


A.  D, 

tary  and  freedman,  at  the  age  of  30  years,  haying 
reigned  13  years  and  8 months. 

69.  Galba  put  to  death.  Otho  kills  himself.  A comet  ap- 

peared in  Jerusalem. 

70.  Titus  destroys  Jerusalem,  Saturday,  Sept.  8.  During 

the  siege  no  less  than  1,100,000  persons  perished; 
Titus  having  used  all  possible  persuasion  to  induce 
the  inhabitants  to  surrender,  the  city  was  taken  by 
assault.  The  general  was  desirous  to  preserve  the 
temple,  a most  magnificent  structure ; but  as  this 
building  was  well  fortified,  and  served  as  a citadel, 
the  soldiers  set  it  on  fire,  nor  was  it  found  possible  to 
stop  the  conflagration,  and  the  temple  was  burned  to 
the  ground,  and  the  prediction  of  the  Saviour,  that 
not  “ one  stone  should  be  left  upon  another/5  was 
literally  fulfilled  : a most  improbable  event  when  it 
was  uttered.  The  inhabitants  were  then  sold  by 
auction,  and  Cesarea  became  the  capital  of  the  coun- 
try.— The  lands  of  Judaea  sold  by  the  Romans.  A 
comet  appeared  in  Gemini. 

71.  Josephus,  ob.  93,  set.  56. 

72.  A comet  appeared  in  Libra,  and  was  seen  for  40  days. 

73.  The  philosophers  expelled  from  Rome  by  Vespasian.  A 

comet  appeared.  Frontinus  flourished. 

74.  The  states  of  Achaia,  Lycia,  Samos,  Thrace,  &c., 

formed  into  separate  provinces.  Silius  Italicus,  ob. 
set.  75. 

75.  Vespasian  dedicated  a temple  to  Peace,  in  which  he  re- 

placed the  rich  spoils  taken  from  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
salem. A comet  appeared  in  China. 

76.  A comet  appeared.  Asconius  Pedianus,  ob.  set.  85. 

77.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  A great  plague  at  Rome. 

The  Parthians  revolt. 

79.  Vespasian  dies,  aged  69,  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign ; 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Titus,  who  proved  an 
honor  to  human  nature  during  the  short  period  of  his 
reign ; as  a proof  of  which  he  conceived  that  he  had 
lost  a day,  which  was  spent  without  any  occasion 
having  presented  itself  of  his  doing  good.  Herculaneum 
and  Pompeii  are  buried  by  an  eruption  of  Mount  Ve- 
suvius, Nov.  1.  The  mountain  discharged  such  an 
immense  quantity  of  ashes  and  lava  as  completel}  to 
6* 


66 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


cover  these  cities,  which  have  been  exhumed  in  mod- 
ern times,  disclosing  most  curious  remains  of  antiquity, 
which  the  ashes  have  contributed  to  preserve.  Upon 
this  occasion,  the  naturalist  Pliny,  approaching  too 
near  in  order  to  gratify  his  scientific  curiosity,  per- 
ished. In  78  or  79,  a comet  appeared  for  6 months. 

80.  The  Capitol,  Pantheon,  &c.,  of  Rome  consumed  by  fire. 

Titus  builds  the  hot  baths  and  amphitheatre. 

81.  A comet  appears.  Titus  dies,  aged  40,  supposed  to  have 

been  poisoned  by  his  brother  Domitian,  who  delighted 
in  crimes  as  much  as  his  deceased  relative  had  gloried 
in  the  practice  of  virtue.  Domitian  felt  equal  pleas- 
ure in  publicly  shedding  the  biood  of  the  Romans,  and 
in  transfixing  with  a golden  pin  the  bodies  of  flies  in 
his  private  apartment.  Martial,  ob.  104,  set.  75. 

82.  Agricola  reduces  South  Britain  to  a Roman  province. 

Domitian  banishes  all  the  philosophers  from  Rome. 
Apollonius  Tyanseus,  ob.  97. 

84.  Valerius  Flaccus  flourished. 

85.  Britain  discovered  to  be  an  island. 

86.  Domitian  instituted  the  Capitoline  games.  Solinus. 

88.  The  secular  games  celebrated.  The  Dacian  war  begins. 

Epictetus  the  Stoic  philosopher,  ob.  about  161. 

89.  Quintilian,  ob.  about  95. 

90.  Agrippa  of  Bithynia,  the  mathematician. 

91.  Statius  of  Naples,  the  poet,  ob.  96.  St.  Clement  I. 

92.  A vestal  buried  alive  for  prostitution.  Agrippa  observes 

in  Bithynia  a conjunction  of  the  moon  with  the  Pleia- 
des, Nov.  29,  5h  before  midnight.  St.  Ignatius,  ob. 
108. 

93.  The  empire  of  the  Huns,  in  Tartary,  destroyed  by  the 

Chinese.  Tacitus  the  historian,  ob.  after  99.  John 
banished  to  the  island  of  Patmos. 

95.  The  second  persecution  of  the  Christians  under  Domitian. 

In  this  persecution  40,000  were  supposed  to  have  suf- 
fered martyrdom.  The  apostle  John  was  cast  into  a 
caldron  of  boiling  oil,  from  which  however  he  came 
forth  unhurt,  and  was  exiled  to  the  island  of  Patmos, 
one  of  the  Cyclades,  where  he  wrote  the  Apocalypse. 
Juvenal,  ob.  128. 

96.  Domitian  put  to  death.  Domitian,  alarmed  by  omens 

and  astrological  predictions,  became  apprehensive  of 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


67 


A.  D. 

his  own  death ; and  set  down  the  names  of  various 
illustrious  persons  whom  his  jealousy  rendered  sus- 
picious, among  whom  was  that  of  his  wife  Domitia, 
all  of  whom  were  to  be  murdered.  Happily  his  wife 
became  possessed  of  the  fatal  list,  which  she  commu- 
nicated to  those  whom  it  concerned,  when  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  that  they  would  anticipate  the 
views  of  the  emperor  by  sacrificing  him,  which  they 
successfully  executed.  This  took  place  on  the  8th 
of  September,  when  Domitian  was  45  years  of  age, 
having  reigned  nearly  15  years.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Nerva,  a man  of  great  gentleness  and  humanity. 

97.  The  evangelist  John  returns  from  exile  ; ob.  99,  set.  92. 

98.  Nerva  dies  a natural  death,  at  the  age  of  65  years,  10 

months,  and  10  days,  after  a short  reign  of  one  year, 
four  months,  and  8 days.  He  had  named  for  his  suc- 
cessor Trajan,  then  governor  of  Germany.  Menelaus, 
the  mathematician,  observed  at  Rome  a transit  of  the 
moon  over  Spica  Virginis , Jan.  11,  5h  after  midnight. 

99.  Julius  Severus  governor  of  Britain.  Trajan  was  pro- 

claimed emperor  by  his  troops  at  Cologne.  He  wrote 
to  the  senate  stating  that  he  made  Titus  his  model, 
and  the  senate,  impressed  with  such  consolatory  hope, 
decreed  to  him  the  title,  “ Father  of  the  Country 
His  entrance  into  Rome  was  in  the  highest  degree 
condescending  and  gracious.  Every  age  and  sex, 
says  Pliny,  flocked  to  witness  his  arrival ; even  the 
sick  dragged  their  emaciated  frames  to  feast  their 
eyes  with  a spectacle  overpowering  with  joy.  Some 
exclaimed  that  they  had  lived  long  enough,  having 
beheld  so  excellent  a prince  at  the  head  of  the  em- 
pire ; while  others  conceived  that  it  was  a fresh  in- 
ducement to  make  them  anxious  for  life.  Mothers 
felicitated  their  children  in  having  to  spend  their  lives 
under  a government  whose  only  labor  would  consist 
in  striving  to  ensure  their  happiness.  His  wife  Plo- 
tina  was  equally  condescending  and  kind. 

Second  Century. 

102.  Pliny,  pro-consul  in  Bithynia,  sends  Trajan  his  account 
of  the  Christians ; upon  which  he  remarked,  that  no 


CHRONOLOGY 


68 

6l.  D. 

proceedings  against  them  were  required,  but  that  he 
ought  only  to  punish  those  who  were  disturbers  of  the 
public  tranquillity. 

103.  Dacia  reduced  to  a Roman  province.  Trajan,  in  order 
to  attack  the  Dacians,  built  a bridge  over  the  Danube, 
which  consisted  of  20  arches  520  fathoms  long,  which 
is  upwards  of  three  times  the  width  of  the  Thames  at 
London  bridge,  over  which  his  troops  readily  passed. 
The  Dacian  monarch  put  an  end  to  his  own  life,  and 
Dacia  was  made  a Roman  province.  Pliny  junior. 

105.  A great  earthquake  in  Asia  and  Greece.  Dion  Pru- 

sseus  flourished. 

106.  Trajan  marches  against  the  Parthians,  &c.  Philo 

Byblius,  ob.  133,  set.  80. 

107.  The  third  persecution  of  the  Christians  under  Trajan. 

Trajan,  though  an  excellent  emperor,  authorized  the 
third  general  persecution  of  the  Christians,  whom  prob- 
ably he  knew  only  by  the  misrepresentations  of  their 
enemies,  and  it  is  likely  confounding  them  with  the 
Jews,  who  were  ever  ready  for  rebellion.  This 
persecution  was  carried  on  with  great  violence  for 
several  years. 

109.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  Plutarch,  ob.  119. 

111.  Suetonius  the  historian,  ob.  after  117. 

114.  Trajan  erects  his  column  at  Rome.  Trajan’s  pillar 
was  composed  of  24  great  pieces  of  marble,  so  curi- 
ously cemented  as  to  seem  but  one.  Its  height  was 
128  feet,  about  12  feet  in  diameter  at  the  bottom  and 
10  at  the  top.  It  has  on  the  inside  185  steps  for  as- 
cending to  the  top,  and  40  windows  for  the  admis- 
sion of  light.  The  whole  pillar  is  incrusted  with 
marble,  on  which  are  represented,  in  bas-relievos , the 
warlike  exploits  of  the  emperor,  particularly  in  the 
war  with  the  Dacians.  On  the  top  was  a colossal 
statue  of  Trajan  holding  in  his  right  hand  a sceptre, 
and  in  his  left  a globe  of  gold,  in  which  his  ashes 
were  said  to  have  been  afterwards  put ; but  Eutro- 
pius  afhrms  that  his  ashes  were  deposited  under  the 
pillar.  It  still  remains,  a proud  monument  of  ancient 
Rome.  The  statue  of  St.  Peter  has  taken  the  place 
of  that  of  Trajan.  A great  earthquake  in  China. 
iElian,  ob.  about  140,  set.  40. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


69 


A.  D. 

115.  Trajan  subdues  Assyria.  An  earthquake  at  Antioch. 

116.  The  Jews  make  an  irruption  into  Egypt.  L.  Annaeus 

Florus. 

117.  Adrian  marches  into  Britain.  Trajan  dies,  and  is 

succeeded  by  Adrian.  He  was  proclaimed  emperor 
by  his  troops,  seconded  by  the  empress  Plotina,  and 
soon  after  confirmed  by  the  senate.  Theon,  senior, 
the  astronomer  of  Smyrna. 

118.  The  fourth  persecution  of  the  Christians  under  Adrian. 

Quadratus,  a disciple  of  the  apostles,  presented  to  him 
an  apology  for  the  Christians.  Having  carefully  ex- 
amined it,  the  emperor  wrote  to  Minucius  Fundanus, 
the  pro-consul  of  Asia,  ordering  him  not  to  put  to 
death  any  Christians,  unless  they  should  be  convicted 
of  crimes  other  than  the  profession  of  Christianity. 

120.  Nicomedia  and  other  cities  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

121.  Adrian  builds  a wall  between  Carlisle  and  Newcastle. 

126.  Adrian  goes  into  Asia  and  Egypt  for  7 years. 

127.  Aristides  flourished. 

128.  In  128  or  130  a comet  appeared  in  Aquarius  and  Ca 

pricorn,  and  was  seen  39  days.  Caesarea  and  Nico 
polis  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

130.  Adrian  rebuilds  Jerusalem,  and  erects  a temple  to  Ju- 

piter. At  Alexandria,  Ptolemy  observed  Mars  in 
opposition,  Dec.  14,  3h  P.  M. 

131.  The  Jews  commence  a second  war.  St.  Polycarp,  ob.  167. 

132.  Ptolemy  observed  the  autumnal  equinox,  Sep.  25,  2h 

P.  M. 

133.  An  eclipse  of  the  moon  observed  by  Ptolemy  at  Alex- 

andria, on  Tuesday,  May  6,  llh  45'  P.  M.  He  ob- 
served Jupiter  in  13°  15'  8,  May  17,  llh  P.  M., 
and  Saturn  in  9°  40'  June  4,  4h  P.  M.  Ptolemy, 
the  mathematician,  ob.  161. 

134.  Urbicus’s  wall  was  built  between  Edinburgh  and  the 

Firth  of  Clyde.  Marcion  the  heretic.  Ptolemy  ob- 
served Venus  in  11°  5'  VS,  Feb.  16,  morning;  and 
Mercury  in  20°  12'  tt g,  Oct.  3,  morning. 

135.  The  Jewish  war  ends,  and  almost  all  the  Jews  banished 

from  Judsea. 

136.  The  second  great  canicular  year  of  the  Egyptians  be- 

gins, July  20.  Arrian,  the  historian  and  philosopher. 
138.  Adrian  dies  at  Baiee  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age,  having 


70 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

reigned  22  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Antoninui 
Pius,  eminent  for  his  virtues  and  love  of  peace.  But 
though  he  passed  no  edict  against  the  Christians,  he 
did  not  authoritatively  put  a stop  to  the  persecutions 
still  carried  on  against  them ; but  he  afterwards  wrote 
to  the  governors  of  the  provinces  of  Asia  to  desist  from 
the  persecution  of  them.  Ptolemy  observed  Regulus 
in  2°  30'  of  this  sign,  and  32°  40'  from  the  summer 
solstice. 

139.  Justin  Martyr  writes  his  first  Apology  for  the  Chris- 

tians, ob.  163. 

140.  Ptolemy  observed  Venus  in  18°  30'  EE,  and  47°  15', 

from  the  mean  place  of  the  sun,  July  18.  Observed 
the  vernal  equinox  at  Alexandria,  March  22,  about  1 
o’clock  afternoon. 

141.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 

144.  Appian  the  historian. 

145.  Antoninus  defeats  the  Moors,  Germans,  and  Dacians. 

In  145  or  146  a comet  was  seen  6 days  in  Aquarius. 
Polysenus. 

146.  The  worship  of  Serapis  introduced  at  Rome  by  the  em- 

peror, and  his  mysteries  celebrated,  May  6.  Artemi- 
dorus. 

147.  Apuleius  flourished. 

148.  Justin  the  historian. 

149.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  Aulus  Gellius,  the  gram 

marian. 

151.  Maximus  Tyrius,  ob.  about  180. 

152.  An  earthquake  at  Rhodes.  An  inundation  of  the  Tiber, 

&c.  Antoninus  stops  the  persecution  against  the 
Christians. 

153.  Pausanias,  ob.  after  173. 

156.  Diophantus,  ob.  set.  84. 

158.  Lucian,  ob.  about  180,  set.  90. 

159.  The  Bactrians  and  Indians  submit  to  Antonirus. 

160.  A comet  appeared. 

161.  Antoninus  Pius  dies  on  the  7th  of  March,  aged  73  years, 

5 months,  and  16  days,  having  reigned  22  years  and 
six  months.  Marcus  Aurelius,  who  had  married  his 
daughter  Faustina,  succeeded  him,  in  conjunction 
with  Verus,  his  adopted  brother.  Marcus  Aure- 
lius possessed  the  noblest  qualifications  and  vir- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


71 


tues,  but  Verus,  on  the  contrary,  was  ignoble  and 
vicious. 

162.  War  with  the  Parthians  continues  three  years. 

163.  The  Christians  persecuted  under  Marcus  Aurelius  An- 

toninus, called  by  some  the  4th.  In  this  persecution 
Christians  were  banished  from  their  houses,  reproached, 
beaten,  plundered,  imprisoned,  and  stoned.  Polycarp 
suffered  martyrdom.  Galen,  ob.  193,  set.  70. 

165.  A comet  appeared. 

166.  The  Romans  send  ambassadors  to  China. 

168.  A plague  over  the  known  world.  Athenagoras,  ob. 

!77. 

169.  The  war  with  the  Marcomanni  begins. 

171.  Montanus  propagated  his  heresy.  Tatian. 

172.  Athenseus  of  Naucratis,  author  of  the  Deipnosophistce , 

ob.  about  194. 

174.  War  with  the  Marcomanni,  Vandals,  &c.,  finished. 

177.  Another  war  with  the  Marcomanni,  which  lasts  three 

years. 

178.  Diogenes  Laertius,  ob.  about  222. 

180.  Marcus  Aurelius  dies,  set.  59,  after  having  reigned  19 

years  and  10  days,  nine  years  of  which  he  shared  the 
throne  with  Verus;  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Commodus,  who  pursued  a course  different  from  that 
of  his  father,  having  been  cruel  and  debauched. 

181.  Commodus  makes  peace  with  the  Germans.  A comet 

appeared. 

182.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  St.  Irenseus,  ob.  202. 

183.  A violent  war  in  Britain  finished  by  Marcellus. 

186.  Julius  Pollux,  ob.  set.  58. 

188.  The  Capitol,  &c.  of  Rome  destroyed  by  lightning.  A 

comet  appeared  in  China. 

189.  A plague  at  Rome.  The  Saracens  defeat  the  Romans. 

191.  Rome  nearly  destroyed  by  fire. 

192.  Commodus  is  put  to  death,  set.  31.  A comet  appeared. 

193.  Different  persons  usurp  the  empire  on  the  death  of 

Pertinax. 

194.  Se verus  besieges  Byzantium. 

195.  A comet  appeared. 

198.  Albinus  defeated  by  Severus,  and  killed  at  Lyons. 

200.  A shower  of  a substance  which  converted  copper  into 
silver  is  said  by  Dion  to  have  fallen  for  three  days 


72 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

during  the  lifetime  of  Severus.  Severus  defeats  the 
Parthians.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 

Third  Century. 

201.  Papinianis,  ob.  212. 

202.  The  5th  persecution  of  the  Christians,  under  Sept. 

Severus,  during  which  Tertullian  had  the  courage  to 
write  an  apology  for  the  Christians,  addressed  to  the 
emperor.  “We  fill,”  observes  that  writer,  “your 
cities  and  towns,  your  senate  and  your  armies ; we 
only  abandon  your  temples  and  your  theatres.”  In 
Egypt,  Leonidas,  the  father  of  Origen,  suffered  mar. 
tyrdom.  Ireneus,  bishop  of  Lyons,  suffered  martyr- 
dom in  that  city.  A comet  appeared  at  Rome.  An 
eruption  of  Vesuvius. 

204.  The  secular  games  celebrated  at  Rome.  A comet 

appeared  in  China,  and  was  seen  several  days. 

205.  An  earthquake  in  Wales. 

206.  A comet  appeared  in  China,  near  the  polar  star.  Cle- 

mens Alexandrinus. 

207.  Severus  goes  into  Britain,  and  50,000  of  his  troops  die 

of  the  plague.  Minutius  Felix. 

209.  Severus  builds  his  wall  across  Britain  of  stone,  in  the 

place  of  that  erected  of  earth  by  Adrian,  being  32 
miles  in  length,  from  the  Clyde  to  the  Forth.  This 
wall  divided  the  possessions  of  the  Romans  in  Britain 
southward,  from  those  of  the  barbarians  on  the  north. 

210.  Philostratus,  ob.  about  244. 

211.  Severus  dies  at  York,  set.  66,  of  grief  for  the  ingratitude 

of  his  son  Caracalla,  who  conspired  against  his  father 
and  intended  to  put  him  to  death.  Severus  reigned 
17  years  and  8 months,  and  his  remains  were  conveyed 
to  Rome  for  interment.  He  was  succeeded  by  his 
sons  Caracalla  and  Geta. 

212.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  Christianity  introduced 

into  Scotland.  Caracalla  kills  his  brother  Geta,  and 
many  others.’ 

213.  Oppian,  ob.  set.  30. 

216.  War  between  the  Romans  and  Parthians. 

217.  Caracalla  killed  by  Maximus,  set.  43.  The  Septuagint 


OF  THE  WORLD.  73 

A.  D. 

found  in  a cask,  where  it  had  probably  been  secreted 
by  the  persecuted  Christians. 

218.  Maximus  put  to  death  by  the  soldiers.  A comet  ap- 
peared in  China ; it  Avent  from  east  to  west,  and  was 
seen  several  days  at  Rome. 

220.  Julius  Africanus,  the  chronologer.  A comet  appeared 
in  Pisces,  and  was  seen  for  18  days. 

222.  The  Romans  agree  to  pay  an  annual  tribute  to  the 
Goths  to  bribe  them  not  to  invade  the  empire.  This 
was  under  the  reign  of  Alexander  Severus,  a virtuous 
prince,  who  was  murdered  in  235,  by  a mutiny  of  the 
army  under  Maximin,  when  he  Avas  only  26  years  of 
age.  In  the  course  of  50  years  from  the  death  of 
Alexander  Severus,  there  are  reckoned  more  than  50 
Csesars,  who  with  that  title,  lawful  or  usurped,  made 
their  appearance  to  contend  for  the  imperial  throne. 
Proclaimed  and  then  murdered  by  their  soldiers,  they 
were  the  sport  of  fortune  and  of  cruelty.  The  army 
Avere  exceedingly  corrupt,  and  had  learned  that  they 
were  the  masters  of  the  empire. 

225.  Mathematicians  allowed  to  teach  publicly  at  Rome. 

226.  Parthia  becomes  tributary  to  Persia. 

229.  The  Arsacides  terminate  in  Persia.  Dion  Cassius,  the 
historian. 

231.  Origen,  ob.  254,  set.  69. 

232.  Ammonius,  the  Christian  and  Platonic  philosopher,  be- 

gins a school  of  Platonic  philosophers  at  Alexandria, 
ob.  after  243. 

233.  The  Persians  defeated  by  the  Romans  with  great 

slaughter,  at  Tadmor. 

235.  The  6th  persecution  against  the  Christians,  under  Maxi- 

minus, Avho  commanded  all  Christians  to  be  put  to 
death,  under  pretext  of  a conspiracy  planned  against 
his  life,  and  the  consequence  Avas,  a slaughter  of  4000 
persons,  which  spread  terror  and  desolation  through 
the  Roman  provinces. 

236.  Two  comets  appear  in  China. 

237.  The  two  Gordians  killed  in  Africa. 

238.  Censorinus  flourished. 

241.  The  Franks  first  mentioned  in  history.  Gregory  Thau- 
maturgus,  ob.  266. 


7 


74 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

242.  Gordian  makes  a successful  expedition  against  the  Per- 
sians. 

244.  Gordian  is  put  to  death. 

245.  Peace  between  the  Romans  and  Persians. 

247.  The  secular  games  celebrated  at  Rome.  Plerodian, 
the  historian. 

249.  The  two  Philips  are  killed;  one  at  Verona,  the  other 

at  Rome. 

250.  The  seventh  persecution  of  the  Christians,  under  Do- 

cius.  Decius  no  sooner  possessed  himself  of  the  pur- 
ple than  he  commanded  the  slaughter  of  the  Christians, 
when  they  were  driven  from  their  habitations,  stripped 
of  their  estates,  and  tormented  with  racks.  This  was 
the  most  severe  persecution  that  had  been  hitherto 
known. 

251.  The  Romans  are  defeated  by  the  Goths  at  Mcesia.  St. 

Cyprian,  ob.  258. 

252.  The  Romans  become  tributary  to  the  Goths.  Asia 

invaded  by  the  Scythians  and  Persians.  A dreadful 
pestilence  over  the  Roman  empire. 

254.  Plotinus,  ob.  270,  set.  68.  A great  eruption  of  iEtna. 

257.  The  8th  persecution  of  the  Christians,  under  Valerian. 

Both  men  and  women  suffered  death,  some  by  scourg- 
ing, some  by  the  sword,  and  some  by  fire. 

258.  The  Roman  empire  is  harassed  by  30  tyrants. 

260.  Valerian  flayed  alive  by  Sapor,  king  of  Persia.  The 

temple  of  Diana  burnt.  The  Roman  empire  ravaged 
by  the  Scythians. 

261.  A great  plague  raged  in  the  Roman  empire.  Longi- 

nus, ob.  273. 

262.  Earthquakes  in  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa ; and  3 days 

of  darkness.  Paul  us  Samosatenus,  bishop  of  Antioch, 
deposed  in  270. 

264.  Odenatus,  king  of  Palmyra,  governs  the  eastern  em- 
pire. 

267.  The  Romans  defeat  the  Scythians  and  Goths. 

268.  Gallienus  is  killed  at  Milan,  set.  50. 

269.  Claudius  conquers  the  Goths,  and  kills  300,000.  Egypt 

occupied  by  Zenobia. 

272.  The  9th  persecution  of  the  Christians,  under  Aurelian. 
This  was  inconsiderable,  compared  with  those  already 
mentioned. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


(5 


A.  D. 

273.  Zenobia  defeated  by  Aurelian,  and  Palmyra  take>, 

274.  The  temple  of  the  Sun  built  at  Rome.  Dacia  gi\en  up 

to  the  Barbarians  by  Aurelian. 

275.  Aurelian  is  killed  near  Byzantium. 

276.  Wines  first  made  in  Britain.  Tacitus  dies  at  Tarsus. 

Porphyry,  ob.  about  304,  set.  71. 

277.  Probus  marches  into  Gaul.  The  Franks  settle  in  Gaul. 

A comet  appeared  in  China. 

280.  The  Persians  defeated  by  Probus. 

282.  Probus  is  put  to  death  at  Sirmium. 

284.  The  sera  of  Dioclesian  begins  Aug.  19,  according  to 

the  fixed  Egyptian  year,  though  his  reign  did  not  be- 
gin till  Sept.  17.  He  was  about  40  years  old  \vh  n 
he  was  elected  to  the  empire.  He  owed  his  exalt >- 
tion  entirely  to  his  merit,  having  passed  through  all 
the  gradations  of  office,  with  sagacity,  courage,  and 
success.  Ambassadors  sent  to  China  by  the  Romans. 

285.  Arnobius  flourished. 

286.  The  empire  attacked  by  northern  nations,  and  several 

provinces  are  usurped  by  tyrants.  At  this  time  the 
northern  hive,  as  it  was  called,  poured  down  their 
swarms  of  barbarians  upon  the  Roman  empire.  When 
the  troops  stationed  on  their  borders  to  repress  inva- 
sion were  at  any  time  called  away,  they  made  inroads 
upon  the  empire,  and  retreated  when  the  troops  re- 
turned. In  this  manner  the  Scythians,  Goths,  Sar- 
matians,  Alani,  Carsii,  and  Quadi  came  down  in  in- 
credible numbers ; while  every  defeat  seemed  only  to 
increase  their  strength  and  perseverance.  These 
northern  nations  were  generally  denominated  barba- 
rians, but  in  their  conduct  they  displayed,  probably, 
less  barbarity  than  the  Romans.  They  had  been 
exasperated  by  repeated  and  cruel  attacks  from  the 
Romans,  who  seemed  to  regard  it  as  a high  crime 
that  they  should  refuse  to  be  conquered,  or  that  they 
would  not  stay  conquered. 

287.  Carausius  proclaimed  emperor  in  Britain.  Maximinus 

was  named  by  Dioclesian  at  first  Caesar,  and  after- 
ward Augustus,  when  he  became  an  equal  partner  in 
the  empire.  Maximinus  then  proceeded  to  Gaul,  and 
gained  numerous  victories  over  the  Germans,  whom 
he  expelled  from  those  territories.  It  was  during  this 


76  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

expedition  that  Mauricus,  chief  of  the  Theban  legion, 
which  consisted  chiefly  of  Christians,  having  received 
the  command  of  Maximinus  to  march  against  Geneva, 
a Christian  colony,  the  soldiers  petitioned  the  emperor 
that  they  might  not  be  compelled  to  combat  against 
their  Christian  brethren.  The  legion  was  twice  pun- 
ished; when  it  retired  into  the  mountains  of  Valais, 
where  being  invested  by  the  other  corps  of  the  Roman 
army,  the  whole  legion  devoted  itself  to  death  in  sup- 
port of  the  Christian  faith,  and  was,  with  its  com- 
mander, exterminated  on  the  spot.  This  noble  con- 
duct was  probably  interpreted  by  Maximinus  as  an 
act  of  rebellion,  and  might  have  had  its  influence  in 
preparing  the  minds  of  Maximinus  and  Dioclesian  for 
that  terrible  persecution  of  the  Christians  which  after- 
wards took  place. 

289.  A great  comet  visible  for  20  days,  in  Mesopotamia. 

Gregory  and  Hermogenes,  lawyers. 

290.  The  Gregorian  and  Hermogenian  codices  published. 

291.  The  two  emperors  and  the  two  Caesars  march  to  defend 

the  four  quarters  of  the  empire.  iElius  Spartianus, 
the  historian. 

293.  Carausius  killed  by  Alectus.  The  Franks  expelled 
from  Batavia. 

296.  Britain  recovered  to  the  emperors  after  a ten  years’ 
usurpation.  Dioclesian  besieges  and  takes  Alexandria. 

Fourth  Century. 

301.  War  between  the  Persians  and  Romans.  Julius  Capi- 
tolinus. 

303.  The  10th  persecution  of  the  Christians,  under  Diocle- 
sian. Dioclesian  seems  to  have  been  instigated  to  this 
persecution  chiefly  by  his  colleagues.  In  this  dread- 
ful persecution,  which  lasted  10  years,  houses  filled 
with  Christians  were  set  on  fire,  and  whole  droves 
were  tied  together  with  ropes,  and  driven  into  the  sea. 
Their  sacred  writings  were  burned,  and  they  were 
stripped  of  all  public  employments.  It  is  related  that 
17,000  were  slain  in  one  month’s  time ; and  that  dur- 
ing the  continuance  of  this  persecution,  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Egypt  alone,  no  less  than  144,000  Christians 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


77 


A.  D. 

died  by  the  violence  of  their  persecutors;  Desidea 
700,000  that  died  through  the  fatigues  of  banishment 
or  the  public  works  to  which  they  were  condemned. 
The  Christians  gave  some  occasion  for  their  persecu 
tions  by  their  animosities  and  strifes  with  each  other 
Flavius  Yopiscus. 

304.  Dioclesian  and  Maximianus  resign  the  empire.  Diode 

sian  and  Maximianus,  the  two  emperors,  resigned  theii 
dignities  on  the  same  day.  They  had  made  Constan- 
tius  Chlorus  and  Galerius,  Caesars,  who  now  took  the 
name  of  emperors.  The  friends  of  Dioclesian,  and 
particularly  Maximianus,  wished  Dioclesian  to  resume 
the  purple,  which  Maximianus  was  also  willing  to  do. 
To  these  he  replied,  “ If  you  could  but  see  the  pulse 
which  I raise  in  my  garden,  with  my  own  hands,  you 
would  never  speak  to  me  of  the  empire.55  Constantius 
was  virtuous,  valiant,  and  merciful,  and  Galerius, 
though  brave,  was  brutal,  incontinent,  and  cruel. 
They  divided  the  empire  between  them ; Constantius 
was  appointed  to  the  western  part,  including  Britain. 

305.  A comet  appeared  in  China.  Trebellius  Pollio. 

306.  Constantius  wages  war  against  the  Britons : dies  July 

25.  He  died  at  York,  appointing  his  son  Constantine 
as  his  successor,  who  was  proclaimed  by  the  plaudits 
of  the  soldiers.  Maxentius  was  proclaimed  emperor 
at  Rome  by  the  pretorian  bands. 

307.  A considerable  part  of  Rome  consumed  by  fire.  iElius 

Lampridius.  In  307  or  308  a comet  appeared. 

308.  Four  emperors  reigned  at  the  same  time. 

309.  The  Christians  persecuted  in  the  East. 

310.  Britain  divided  into  four  governments  by  Constantine. 

311.  Lactantius  flourished. 

312.  Maxentius  killed  in  battle.  Pestilence  over  the  East. 

On  the  march  of  Constantine  to  meet  Maxentius,  his 
mind  was  in  anxious  suspense  in  regard  to  the  ap- 
proaching contest,  and  sent  up  ejaculations  to  heaven 
to  inspire  him  with  wisdom  in  regard  to  the  path  which 
he  should  pursue.  A little  before  sunset  he  is  said  to 
have  seen  in  the  heavens  a pillar  of  light  in  the  form 
of  a cross,  having  this  inscription  on  it,  <fi  sv  rovro  vix a,55 
in  this  overcome.  It  is  further  stated  that  Christ  ap- 
peared to  him  in  the  following  night,  commanding  him 


78 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


to  adopt  the  image  of  the  cross  for  his  standard,  and 
to  bear  it  in  battle,  which  standard  was  called  Laba- 
rum , and  was  carried  into  battle  by  his  troops.  This 
circumstance  is  said  to  have  prompted  the  emperor  to 
embrace  Christianity,  and  he  became  a distinguished 
protector  of  Christians.  Eusebius  professes  to  have 
derived  the  account  which  he  relates,  from  the  mouth 
of  Constantine  himself.  He  gained  a distinguished 
victory  over  Maxentius,  who,  fleeing  from  him,  was 
drowned  in  crossing  the  Tiber. 

313.  The  10th  persecution  of  the  Christians  terminated  by 

an  edict  of  Constantine  and  Licinius. 

314.  A civil  war  between  Constantine  and  Licinius. 

315.  Crucifixion  abolished. 

319.  Constantine  protects  the  Christians. 

321.  Sunday  appointed  to  be  observed. 

323.  Constantine  obtains  possession  of  the  empire,  and  toler- 

ates Christianity. 

324.  Licinius  defeated  and  banished.  Licinius,  who  was  in- 

vested with  the  purple,  and  married  Constantia,  the 
sister  of  Constantine,  became  an  enemy  of  the  Chris- 
tians, whom  he  banished  from  his  household.  He 
made  war  upon  Constantine  and  was  defeated,  but  his 
life  was  spared  at  the  intercession  of  his  wife.  In  322 
or  324  a comet  appeared  in  Virgo. 

325.  The  1st  general  Council  of  Nice,  from  June  19,  to  Aug. 

25,  consists  of  318  bishops.  Arius,  ob.  330. 

326.  Crispus  put  to  death.  The  Christians  persecuted  by 

the  Parthians.  Eusebius  Pamphilius,  ob.  342. 

328.  The  seat  of  empire  transferred  from  Rome  to  Constan- 
tinople. 

330.  Constantinople  solemnly  dedicated  by  Constantine  to  the 

God  of  the  Martyrs,  giving  it  a name  derived  from  his 
own.  A dreadful  persecution  in  Persia,  which  lasted 
40  years. 

331.  The  heathen  temples  demolished  by  order  of  the  em- 

peror. St.  Athanasius,  ob.  371. 

333.  A great  famine  and  pestilence  in  Syria. 

334.  300,000  Sarmatians  revolt,  and  are  dispersed  through 

the  empire. 

336.  A very  large  comet  appeared  in  China. 

337.  Constantine  the  Great  dies,  May  22,  set.  66,  leaving  the 


OF  THE  WORLD.  79 

A..  D. 

empire  to  his  sons  Constantinus,  surnamed  the  younger, 
Constans,  and  Constantius.  Constantinus  had  Gaul 
and  all  the  territory  beyond  the  Alps ; Constans  be- 
came master  of  Italy,  Sicily,  Africa,  Illyria,  Thrace, 
Macedonia,  and  Greece ; and  Constantius  obtained 
Thrace,  Asia,  the  East,  and  Egypt. 

340.  Constantine,  junior,  killed  at  Aquileia.  An  earthquake 

in  the  East.  A large  comet  appeared  in  Aries,  and 
was  seen  183  days. 

341.  Christianity  propagated  in  Ethiopia  by  Frumentius. 

St.  Hilary,  ob.  367,  set.  80. 

342.  Jamblichus,  ob.  about  363. 

344.  Neocsesarea  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

350.  Constans  killed  in  Spain,  when  Constantius  became  sole 
emperor. 

353.  iElius  Donatus,  the  grammarian. 

354.  Constantius  puts  Gallus  to  death. 

356.  Eutropius,  the  historian  and  sophist. 

357.  Six  German  kings  defeated  at  Strasburg  by  Julian. 

958.  150  cities  in  Greece  and  Asia  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake. Libanius,  the  sophist. 

359.  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  ob.  about  380. 

361.  Constantius  dies  at  Tarsus,  *set.  45.  He  had  before 

made  his  son  Julian,  Csesar.  Julian  was  made  em- 
peror by  the  Gauls,  and  Constantius  made  war  against 
him.  He  died  at  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  after  he  had 
reigned  24  years.  Gregory  Nazianzen,  ob.  389. 

362.  Themistius,  the  sophist,  ob.  about  386. 

363.  Julian  in  vain  endeavors  to  rebuild  the  temple  of  Jeru- 

salem ; and  dies  in  an  expedition  into  Persia.  Un- 
foreseen and  even  miraculous  accidents,  testified  by 
the  Pagans  themselves,  forced  him  to  abandon  the 
undertaking  of  attempting  to  rebuild  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem.  He  is  called  the  apostate,  from  having 
apostatized  from  Christianity.  He  persecuted  the 
Christians  chiefly  by  treating  them  with  ridicule  and 
contempt,  forbidding  them  the  study  of  classic  litera- 
ture, and  denying  them  an  appeal  to  courts  of  justice, 
because  their  religion  forbade  them  to  contend.  He 
was  greatly  attached  to  heathen  superstition  and  phi- 
losophy. Aurelius  Victor.  A comet  appeared. 

364.  The  Roman  emperors  enacted  laws  against  magicians. 


CHRONOLOGY 


80 

A.  D. 

Britain  harassed  by  the  Piets,  Scots,  and  Saxons. 
The  Roman  empire  divided  into  two  parts,  called  the 
Eastern  and  Western  empire. 

370.  Valens  marched  against  the  Persians.  St.  Basil,  ob. 
379,  set.  51.  A comet  appeared  in  Aries,  and  was 
seen  11  weeks. 

372.  Eunapius. 

373.  The  Bible  translated  into  the  Gothic  tongue.  A comet 

appeared  in  China. 

374.  St.  Ambrose  made  bishop  of  Milan,  ob.  397. 

376.  The  Goths,  expelled  by  the  Pluns,  settle  in  Thrace. 

377.  A comet  appeared. 

378.  Valens  defeated  by  the  Goths.  The  prerogatives  of 

the  Roman  see  much  enlarged. 

379.  The  Lombards  first  leave  Scandinavia,  and  defeat  the 

Vandals.  Ausonius,  ob.  about  394. 

380.  A comet  appeared  in  Libra.  It  was  seen  from  May  till 

September,  and  was  brighter  than  Venus. 

381.  The  2d  general  council  of  Constantinople.  Macedonius, 

the  heretic. 

383.  The  emperor  Gratian  defeated  and  killed.  The  Huns 
ravaged  Mesopotamia.  Pappus  of  Alexandria,  the 
mathematician.  A comet  appeared. 

385.  Theon,  jun.  of  Alexandria,  the  mathematician. 

387.  The  Quinquennales  celebrated  by  Arcadius.  St.  Je- 

rome, ob.  420,  set.  78. 

388.  The  tyrant  Maximus  defeated  and  killed  by  Theodosius. 

389.  The  first  kings  of  the  Lombards  elected  in  Pannonia. 

A comet  appeared  in  Gemini,  and  was  seen  for  20 
days. 

390.  A fiery  column  seen  in  the  air  for  30  days. 

392.  Prudentius.  In  392  or  393  a large  comet  appeared ; 
in  40  days  it  moved  from  Venus  to  the  Great  Bear. 

394.  Theodosius  defeats  Eugenius  and  Arbogastes.  St.  Au- 

gustine, ob.  430,  set.  76.  A great  earthquake  felt  in 
many  parts  of  Europe.  A large  comet  appeared. 

395.  Theodosius  the  Great  dies,  set.  60,  having  reigned  16 

years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  sons,  Arcadius 
and  Honorius ; the  former  in  the  East  and  the  latter 
in  the  West,  from  which  period  the  two  empires  were 
uniformly  separated.  Previously,  although  several 
emperors  had  ruled  at  the  same  time,  they  had  acted 


OF  THE  WORLD.  8i 

A.  D. 

as  colleagues,  associated  in  the  government.  The 
administration  of  Theodosius  was  rendered  respectable 
to  his  enemies,  as  it  had  been  beneficial  to  the  Roman 
people. 

396.  St.  Chrysostom,  ob.  407,  set.  53.  A comet  appeared. 

397.  Claudian. 

398.  Heliodorus. 

400.  A large  comet  appeared  in  China. 

Fifth  Century. 

401.  Europe  overrun  by  Alaric,  king  of  the  Goths.  Sulpi- 

cius  Severus,  the  ecclesiastical  historian,  ob.  420. 

402.  The  Avari  obtain  possession  of  Great  Tartary  after  de- 

feating the  Huns.  Anianus  of  Alexandria,  the  monk 
and  chronologer. 

403.  Stilicho  defeats  Alaric.  Macrobius,  ob.  about  415. 

404.  An  irruption  of  the  Goths.  Panodorus  of  Alexandria, 

the  monk  and  chronologer. 

405.  John  Stobseus.  Stilicho  defeats  200,000  Goths.  A 

very  large  comet  appeared. 

406.  The  Vandals,  Alani,  and  Suevi,  spread  into  France  b;y 

a concession  of  Honorius.  Pelagius,  ob.  about  430. 
408.  Christianity  propagated  in  Persia.  Hypatia,  the  ma- 
thematician, and  daughter  of  Theon,  ob.  415.  A 
comet  appeared  during  a solar  eclipse. 

410.  Rome  taken  and  plundered  by  Alaric.  Servius,  the 

commentator  on  Virgil.  A comet  appeared. 

411.  Synesius,  bishop  of  Cyrene,  and  Platonic  philosopher. 

412.  The  Vandals  begin  their  kingdom  in  Spain.  The  Ro- 

mans, when  pushing  their  conquests  towards  the  N. 
and  E.  of  Europe,  had  compelled  numerous  tribes  to 
fly  for  refuge  beyond  the  Rhine  and  the  Danube,  and 
to  seek  an  asylum  in  the  immense  forests  of  Germany. 
In  those  fastnesses  they  had  multiplied  for  three  or 
four  centuries,  when  the  colossal  hordes  began  to  dis- 
gorge themselves ; and  assuming  courage,  attacked 
the  forts,  as  well  as  the  armed  bodies  which  defended 
the  streams,  and  penetrated  into  the  Roman  empire. 
These  tribes,  however,  were  soon  displaced  by  the 
bands  who  flocked  thither  from  the  extremities  of  the 
N.  and  E.,  driving  them  precipitately  one  upon  an- 


CHRONOLOGY 


82 

A.  D. 

other,  when  the  Roman  empire  resembled  an  immense 
valley,  ravaged  in  all  directions  by  an  overflowing 
and  furious  current,  swallowing  up  every  thing  in  its 
impetuous  and  unrestrained  torrent.  It  was  reserved 
for  Christianity  to  allay  the  fury  of  those  barbarous 
conquerors,  and  to  repair  the  horrors  of  their  ravages, 
which  it  did,  although  its  early  corruptions  diminished 
its  salutary  effects.  Armenia  divided  between  the 
Persians  and  Romans.  St.  Cyril,  bishop  of  Alexan- 
dria, ob.  444.  A comet  was  seen  in  Capricorn  from 
summer  till  the  end  of  autumn. 

113.  The  kingdom  of  the  Burgundians  begins  in  Alsace. 
A comet  was  seen  in  Virgo  for  four  months. 

414.  The  Visigoths  establish  the  kingdom  of  Thoulouse. 

415.  The  Christians  persecuted  in  Persia. 

416.  A meteoric  stone  fell  in  Constantinople.  Orosius,  the 

historian. 

417.  The  Goths  extirpate  the  Alans. 

418.  A comet  was  seen  from  summer  till  September. 

419.  Many  cities  in  Palestine  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

Socrates,  the  ecclesiastical  historian. 

420.  The  kingdom  of  the  French  begins  on  the  Lower 

Rhine.  China  is  divided  into  two  empires. 

421.  The  Salic  law  promulgated.  Christianity  persecuted 

in  Persia. 

422.  Thrace  ravaged  by  the  Huns. 

423.  John  the  Notary  usurps  the  western  empire.  A comet 

was  seen  for  several  days. 

425.  Theodosius  establishes  public  schools  at  Constanti- 

nople. 

426.  The  Romans  leave  Britain. 

427.  The  Romans  recover  Pannonia.  Zosimus,  the  histo- 

rian. 

428.  iEtius  the  Roman  general  defeated  by  the  French. 

431.  The  third  general  council  of  Ephesus.  Nestorius,  the 

heretic  bishop  of  Constantinople. 

432.  The  Vandals  occupy  the  Roman  provinces  in  Af- 

rica. 

433.  A great  part  of  Constantinople  consumed  by  fire. 

434.  A comet  appeared. 

435.  Nestorianism  prevails  in  the  East.  The  Theodosian 

codex  published. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


83 


A.  D. 

437.  iEtius  defeats  the  Goths.  Cyril’s  cycle  of  95  years 
begins.  The  Christians  first  persecuted  by  the  Vam 
dais.  Theodoret,  bishop  of  Cyrus,  ob.  about  460. 
439.  Genseric  takes  Carthage  ; and  the  kingdom  of  the 
Vandals  begins  in  Africa.  Sozomen,  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal historian,  ob.  450. 

441.  The  Roman  territories  invaded  by  the  Huns,  Persians, 

and  Saracens. 

442.  A comet  appeared. 

443.  The  Manichsean  books  burned  at  Rome.  Olympiodo- 

rus,  the  ecclesiastical  historian. 

446.  The  Britons  complain  to  iEtius  and  the  Romans,  against 

the  incursions  of  the  Scots  and  Piets.  Their  com- 
plaint was  couched  in  the  following  terms : “ To 
iEtius,  thrice  consul,  the  groans  of  the  Britons  : — The 
barbarians  drive  us  into  the  sea  ; the  sea  throws  us 
back  upon  the  swords  of  the  barbarians  ; so  that  no 
resource  remains  for  us,  but  the  miserable  choice  of 
being  drowned  or  butchered.”  All  entreaties,  how- 
ever, were  vain,  so  that  perceiving  they  had  nothing 
further  to  expect  from  the  Romans,  they  began  to 
consider  what  other  nation  might  be  called  in  to  their 
aid.  In  the  mean  time  Honorius  confirmed  the  inde- 
pendence of  Britain,  and  directed  its  inhabitants  to 
take  care  of  their  own  safety.  In  this  emergency 
they  had  recourse  to  the  Saxons. 

447.  Attila  ravages  Europe. 

448.  A comet  appeared. 

449.  The  Saxons  arrive  in  Britain,  and  land  in  the  isle  of 

Thanet.  Heptarchy  established  in  England.  A 
great  famine  in  Italy. 

450.  Theodosius  II.  dies,  set.  49.  A comet  appeared. 

451.  The  fourth  general  council  of  Chalcedon.  iEtius  de- 

feats Attila.  The  Christians  persecuted  in  Britain. 
A comet  appeared.  Eutyches. 

452.  The  city  of  Venice  takes  its  rise  about  this  time. 

454.  The  Britons  attempt  in  vain  to  expel  the  Saxons.  The 

Vandals  occupy  Sicily. 

455.  Rome  taken  by  Genseric. 

456.  Theodoric  defeats  the  Suevi.  Prosper,  ob.  460. 

457.  Hengist  defeats  Vortimer  in  the  battle  of  Cray  ford, 

Kent. 


CHRONOLOGY 


84 

A.  D. 

458.  A great  earthquake  at  Antioch.  The  Chinese  sail  to 
the  north  of  California. 

461.  A fire  in  Constantinople.  Peace  between  the  emperor 
Leo  and  the  Goths. 

463.  The  paschal  cycle  of  532  years  invented  by  Victorius, 

of  Aquitaine. 

464.  The  Vandals  expelled  from  Sicily. 

466.  The  Romans  defeated  the  Goths.  Rogation-day  insti- 

tuted. 

467.  The  Romans  defeat  the  Vandals. 

468.  The  Romans  driven  by  the  Visigoths  out  of  Spain. 

469.  Sidonius  Apollinaris,  ob.  482,  set.  52. 

472.  A great  eruption  of  Vesuvius. 

474.  Leo  I.  and  Leo  II.  die. 

475.  Three  hundred  British  nobles  treacherously  massacred 

by  Hengist.  The  Romans  defeat  the  Saxons.  Gela- 
sius,  of  Cyzicum. 

476.  The  kingdom  of  Italy  begins.  The  western  empire 

ended. — Odoacer,  king  of  the  Heruli,  marched  into 
Italy,  and  made  himself  master  of  Rome  and  Raven- 
na, where  Augustus  was  forced  to  abdicate  ; and  thus 
terminated  the  Roman  empire  in  the  west ; after  it 
had  flourished  307  years  from  the  battle  of  Actium, 
when  the  monarchy  was  established,  and  1224  years 
from  the  foundation  of  the  city  of  Rome. 

The  decline  and  fall  of  that  once  magnificent  empire, 
may  be  reduced  to  one  principal  cause  ; its  ruin  hav- 
ing been  the  inevitable  consequence  of  its  greatness. 
The  extension  of  dominion  relaxed  the  vigor  of  its 
frame  ; the  vices  of  the  conquered  infected  its  victo- 
rious legions,  while  foreign  luxuries  enervated  its 
leaders,  and  supplanted  patriotic  affection  ; added  to 
which,  the  martial  spirit  of  the  Romans  was  pur- 
posely debased  by  the  emperors,  who  had  every 
thing  to  apprehend  from  its  energies.  Thus  gradual- 
ly weakened  and  enervated,  the  colossal  fabric  became 
an  easy  prey  to  torrents  of  barbarians,  inured  to 
danger,  to  rigorous  climates,  and  spurred  on  by  the 
insatiable  thirst  of  cupidity,  who  incessantly  poured 
down  upon  it,  and  finally  accomplished  its  complete 
overthrow. 

k dreadful  fire  in  Constantinople,  consuming  the  major 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


85 


A.  D. 

part  of  the  city,  with  its  sumptuous  library,  contain- 
ing 120,000  volumes,  among  which  were  the  poems  of 
Homer,  written  in  letters  of  gold. 

Odoacer  refused  the  purple  and  the  title  of  emperor, 
contenting  himself  with  that  of  king  of  Italy,  and 
established  his  court  at  Ravenna. 

479.  Peter,  surnamed  the  Fuller,  ob.  486. 

480.  An  earthquake  which  lasts  40  days,  destroys  the  great- 

er part  of  Constantinople. 

484.  Christianity  persecuted  by  Huneric  king  of  the  Van- 

dals. 

485.  The  Romans  defeated  at  Soissons  by  Clovis. 

487.  The  Saxons  defeated  by  the  Britons  under  Ambrosius 
and  prince  Arthur. 

490.  Odoacer  defeated  by  Theodoric. 

491.  Ella  founds  the  second  Saxon  kingdom  of  Sussex. 

493.  The  kingdom  of  Italy  transferred  from  the  Heruli  to  the 

Ostrogoths,  by  the  capture  of  Ravenna.  Malchus, 
the  sophist. 

494.  The  Roman  pontiff  asserts  his  supremacy. 

495.  Timotheus  Gazseus. 

496.  Clovis  baptized,  and  Christianity  received  in  France. — 

Clotilda,  the  wife  of  Clovis,  was  a Christian  by  pro- 
fession, and  had,  no  doubt,  solicited  him  to  join  her  in 
it.  In  a battle  with  the  Germans,  when  his  Franks 
began  to  give  way,  he  vowed,  in  case  he  obtained  the 
victory,  he  would  adore  the  God  of  Clotilda,  and  im- 
mediately the  Germans  began  to  give  way,  and  were 
completely  routed.  Faithful  to  his  vow,  he  caused 
himself  to  be  instructed  in  Christianity,  and  was  bap- 
tized, with  more  than  3000  of  his  subjects  ; and  the 
example  was  followed  by  a great  part  of  his  army. 
Poland  and  Bohemia  occupied  by  the  Sclavonians. 

497.  The  Isauric  war  closes. 

499.  Thrace  ravaged  by  the  Bulgarians.  Fulgentius,  ob. 

529. 

500.  Syria  and  Phoenicia  ravaged  by  the  Saracens. 

Sixth  Century. 

501.  Anastasius  makes  peace  with  the  Saracens.  Gon- 

debaud  publishes  his  laws  of  the  Burgundians. 

8 


CHRONOLOGY 


86 

A.  D. 

603.  Cabades,  king  of  Persia,  destroys  Anastasius’s  army. 
The  Pope  resists  the  legal  magistrate. 

504.  Christianity  persecuted  by  the  Vandals.  The  pandects 

published.  Magi  prevail  at  Rome. 

505.  The  Persian  war  ends. 

506.  The  Theodosian  code  reformed  and  published  by 

Arien. 

507.  Alaric  defeated  and  killed  by  Clovis,  near  Poitiers. 
609.  A great  fire  at  Constantinople.  Arabia  and  Pales- 
tine invaded  by  the  Saracens.  Alcimus  A vitus,  ob. 

523. 

510.  Paris  becomes  the  capital  of  the  French  dominions. 

511.  A great  insurrection  at  Constantinople.  The  Saxons 

defeated  in  the  battle  of  Badon-hill  or  Bath,  by 
Prince  Arthur. 

512.  An  eruption  of  Vesuvius. 

513.  Christianity  embraced  by  the  Persian  and  Saracen 

kings.  Boetius,  the  philosopher,  ob.  524. 

514.  Constantinople  besieged  by  Vitalianus,  whose  fleet  is 

consumed  by  a burning  mirror  of  Proclus.  Cas- 
sidorus,  secretary  to  Theodoric,  ob.  562,  set.  about 
100. 

516.  Macedonia,  Thessaly,  &c.  ravaged  by  the  Getse.  The 

computation  of  time  by  the  Christian  sera  intro- 
duced by  Dionysius  the  monk,  called  the  Little, 
ob.  540. 

517.  Five  years  drought  and  pestilence  in  Palestine. 

518.  Anastasius  killed  by  lightning,  set.  88. 

519.  Prince  Arthur  defeated  at  Charford  by  Cerdic,  which 

begins  the  third  Saxon  kingdom  of  Wessex. 

520.  The  Anglo-Saxons  defeated  at  Bath  by  the  Britons. 

521.  An  earthquake  at  Corinth.  Hesychius  of  Miletus. 

522.  The  Moors  defeat  and  kill  Thrasamond,  king  of  the 

Vandals. 

524.  An  earthquake  in  Cilicia. 

525.  Antioch  destroyed  by  fire.  Priscian,  the  gramma- 

rian. 

526.  An  earthquake  at  Antioch. 

528.  Belisarius  marches  against  the  Persians. 

529.  The  code  of  Justinian  published.  The  order  of  Bene- 

dictine monks  instituted.  Tribonianus,  the  famous 
lawyer. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


81 


A.  D. 

532.  A conspiracy  at  Constantinople.  A great  pestilence  in 

Ethiopia.  The  kingdom  of  Burgundy  conquered  by 
Childebert  and  Clotaire. 

533.  The  digest  of  Justinian  published. — His  name  is  im- 

mortalized in  history  by  the  code  of  laws  which,  un- 
der his  direction,  was  selected  by  the  ablest  lawyers, 
and  to  which  the  name  of  Justinian’s  Pandects  and 
Digests  are  given. 

534.  The  kingdom  of  the  Vandals  finished  by  Belisarius, 

who  took  Carthage.  Procopius,  the  historian. 

535.  Belisarius  gains  Sicily.  A comet  seen  in  Sagittarius, 

in  December. 

536.  Belisarius  takes  Naples.  The  inhabitants  of  Con- 

stantinople taught  by  two  Indian  monks  to  fabricate 
silk. 

537.  Rome  surrendered  to  Belisarius. — Belisarius  was  a 

celebrated  general,  who,  in  a degenerate  and  effemi- 
nate age,  in  the  reign  of  Justinian,  emperor  of  Con- 
stantinople, renewed  all  the  glorious  victories,  battles, 
and  triumphs,  which  had  rendered  the  first  Romans  so 
distinguished  in  the  time  of  their  republic.  He  was 
treated  with  ingratitude  by  Justinian. 

French  coin  begins  to  be  current  through  the  Roman 
empire.  Count  Marcellinus,  the  chronologer. 

539.  Italy  distressed  with  war,  famine,  and  pestilence.  The 

city  of  Milan  razed  by  the  Goths.  Theodobert  takes 
the  camps  of  the  Romans  and  Goths. 

540.  Vitiges  taken  by  Belisarius  in  Ravenna.  The  Moors 

defeat  the  Romans.  The  king  of  Persia  destroys 
Antioch. 

541.  Jornandes,  the  Gothic  historian,  ob.  552. 

542.  Prince  Arthur  murdered  in  Cornwall.  Antioch  re- 

built. The  Goths  defeat  the  Romans  on  the  Po. 

543.  Asia  and  Europe  desolated  by  the  plague.  An  earth- 

quake of  great  extent,  Sept.  6th.  Totila,  king  of  the 
Goths,  seizes  Tuscany,  Campania,  Puteoli,  Naples,  &c. 

544.  The  Persians  defeat  the  Romans. 

546.  Totila  takes  and  pillages  Rome.  Simplicius,  the  Peri- 
patetic philosopher. 

549.  Rome  fortified  by  Totila. 

550.  An  earthquake  in  Palestine,  Syria,  &c.  The  state  of 

Poland  formed  by  Leek. 


CHRONOLOGY 


88 

A.  D. 

551.  The  manufacture  of  silk  brought  from  India  into 

Europe. 

552.  The  empire  of  the  Avars  in  Great  Tartary  ends.  An 

earthquake  in  Greece,  and  a great  commotion  in  the 
sea.  A great  earthquake  at  Constantinople.  The 
fifth  general  council,  or  second  of  Constantinople, 
held. 

553.  Totila  defeated  by  Narses,  and  killed. — Narses,  who 

was  able  in  council  and  successful  in  war,  had  the 
honor  of  succeeding  in  command  after  the  great  Beli- 
sarius,  and  of  defeating  Totila,  the  Gothic  king,  in  a 
decisive  engagement,  in  which  Totila  was  slain. 
Totila  was  a brave  and  virtuous  prince.  The  Gothic 
kingdom  in  Italy,  founded  by  Theodoric,  was  soon 
destroyed.  Theodoric  and  Totila  may  be  compared 
to  the  greatest  generals  of  antiquity  ; and  the  Gothic 
nation,  instead  of  being  treated  with  contempt,  de- 
serves, in  many  respects,  the  greatest  regard  and 
veneration.  Narses,  who  had  destroyed  the  Gothic 
monarchy,  governed  the  kingdom  of  Italy  with  great 
ability  for  13  years,  having  established  the  Exarchate 
of  Ravenna. 

554.  Narses  defeats  and  kills  Teia,  king  of  the  Goths. 

556.  A sedition  of  the  Jews  in  Palestine.  Civil  wars  in 

France.  Gildas,  the  historian,  ob.  570. 

557.  A great  earthquake  at  Rome,  Constantinople,  &c. 

558.  A plague  in  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  which  lasts  near 

50  years. 

559.  The  Heptarchy  began  in  England. 

560.  A comet  appeared,  and  was  observed  for  a year. 

561.  A conspiracy  against  Justinian.  Belisarius  disgraced, 

but  restored  the  next  year. 

563.  Constantinople  almost  consumed  by  fire. 

565.  Pestilence  in  Italy,  France,  and  Germany.  Columbus 
propagates  Christianity  among  the  Piets.  Justinian 
dies,  set.  83.  Agathias,  the  historian. 

567.  The  kingdom  of  the  Visigoths  founded  in  Spain. 

568.  The  Lombards,  invited  from  Pannonia  by  Narses,  found 

a kingdom  in  Italy. 

569.  The  Turks  first  mentioned  in  history.  Exarchs  sent 

by  the  eastern  emperors  to  Ravenna  against  the  Lom- 
bards. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


89 


A.  D. 

572.  The  Persians  declare  war  against  Justin.  Gregory  of 

Tours,  ob.  595. 

573.  Part  of  Germany  ravaged  by  the  Avari. 

574.  The  Persians  invade  and  plunder  Syria. 

575.  Civil  wars  in  France.  The  first  monastery  founded  in 

Bavaria. 

576.  Chosroes  defeated  by  Justin’s  army. 

578.  Justin  II.  dies. 

580.  Chosroes  again  defeated,  and  dies  of  grief.  The  city 

of  Antioch  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

581.  liatin  ceased  about  this  time  to  be  spoken  in  Italy. 

583.  The  Suevi  in  Spain  subdued  by  the  Visigoths. 

584.  The  origin  of  fiefs  in  France. 

587.  An  earthquake  at  Antioch. 

588.  The  city  of  Paris  destroyed  by  fire. 

589.  The  Tiber  inundates  Rome.  The  provinces  of  China 

united.  Philippicus  defeated  the  Persians.  A comet 
appeared. 

590.  Pestilence  in  Italy  and  France.  The  Avari  defeat  the 

Romans. 

592.  Ceaulin  defeated  in  the  battle  of  Wanburgh. 

593.  The  Avari  expelled  from  Thrace. 

594.  Evagi'ius,  the  ecclesiastical  historian.  A comet  ap- 

peared. 

595.  Istria,  Bohemia,  and  Poland,  invaded  by  the  Scla- 

vonians.  The  Lombards  besiege  Rome,  and  ravage 
Italy. 

596.  John,  of  Constantinople,  assumes  the  title  of  universal 

bishop. 

597.  Augustin  arrives  in  England  with  40  monks,  who  con- 

verted the  Saxons  to  Christianity.  Augustin  was 
soon  afterwards  made  archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

598.  A truce  between  the  Romans  and  Lombards. 

599.  A dreadful  pestilence  in  Africa.  A comet  appears  in 

France. 

600.  Italy  ravaged  by  the  Sclavonians  and  Avari. 

Seventh  Century. 

601.  A comet  was  seen  for  several  days. 

602.  Mauritius  killed  by  Phocas.  The  Romans  defeated  by 

the  Lombards. 


8* 


90 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

603.  War  between  the  Persians  and  Greeks.  Secundus, 

historian  of  the  Lombards,  ob.  615. 

604.  Chosroes  defeats  the  Roman  army.  St.  Paul’s  church 

founded  by  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent. 

605.  Bells  introduced  into  churches.  The  papal  power  be- 

gins. 

606.  The  court  of  chancery  instituted  in  England. 

609.  Revolt  of  the  Jews  in  Antioch,  who  massacre  the 

Christians.  Isidorus  Hispalenses,  ob.  636. 

610.  Heraclius,  after  taking  Constantinople,  kills  Phocas. 

611.  Westminster  Abbey  founded  by  Sibert,  king  of  the 

East  Saxons. 

612.  Syria  ravaged  by  the  Saracens.  Mahomet  publishes 

his  Koran.  Theophylactus  Simocatta,  the  historian. 

613.  Clotaire  reigns  over  all  France. 

614.  Jerusalem  taken  by  the  Persians,  who  kill  90,000,  and 

carry  off  the  cross  of  Christ. 

615.  The  Persians  overrun  Africa,  and  take  Alexandria. 

616.  Carthage  taken  and  plundered  by  the  Persians.  The 

Jews  banished  from  France  and  Spain. 

617.  Edwin  kills  Ethelfred  in  the  battle  of  Retford.  John 

of  Alexandria,  called  Philoponus,  the  grammarian, 
and  commentator  on  Aristotle. 

618.  Constantinople  taken  and  pillaged  by  the  Avari. 

622.  Heraclius  defeats  the  Persians  in  a great  battle.  Ma- 
homet fled  from  Mecca  to  Medina,  and  the  Hegira  be- 
gins on  Friday,  July  16th.  The  magistrates  of  Mecca, 
where  Mahomet  disseminated  his  doctrines  with  too 
much  vehemence,  conceived  that  he  ought  to  be  pun- 
ished with  death,  as  a disturber  of  the  public  tran- 
quillity. Mahomet,  however,  evaded  the  fate  that  was 
awarded  to  him,  by  escaping  to  Medina.  From  this 
period  the  Arabians  date  their  Hegira , or  flight,  which 
is  the  Mahometan  sera  from  which  time  is  reckoned, 
as  among  Christian  nations  it  is  from  the  birth  of 
Christ.  Mahomet,  ob.  63,  set.  63.  Heraclius  dies, 
641. 

628.  An  academy  founded  at  Canterbury.  Chosroes  killed 
by  his  son.  Chosroes  becoming  dangerously  ill,  in 
Seleucia  beyond  the  Tigris,  whither  he  had  been  vigor- 
ously pursued  by  the  emperor,  was  desirous  of  placing 
the  crown  upon  the  head  of  his  youngest  son  Merda- 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


91 


Ao  D. 

sas.  Syroes,  his  eldest  son,  being  made  acquainted 
with  this  circumstance,  and  supported  by  the  nobility 
of  the  kingdom,  collected  an  army,  and  seizing  upon 
the  person  of  his  father,  loaded  him  with  chains,  and 
confined  him  to  a subterraneous  cavern  which  Chos- 
roes  had  constructed  for  the  reception  of  his  treasures, 
where  he  was  treated  with  the  utmost  indignity,  and 
after  witnessing  the  assassination  of  his  favorite  child, 
Merdasas,  and  the  rest  of  his  progeny,  was  himself 
shot  to  death  with  arrows. 

632.  The  sera  of  Jesdegird  commences,  June  16th. 

633.  Edwin,  king  of  Northumberland,  killed  in  battle  by 

Penda,  king  of  Mercia.  A large  comet  appeared. 

634.  Damascus  taken  by  the  Saracens.  Geo  Pisides,  the 

poet  and  historian,  ob.  after  641. 

635.  The  Saracens  invade  Egypt  and  Palestine.  Pens 

made  from  quills. 

636.  Christianity  introduced  into  China. 

637.  Jerusalem  taken  by  the  Saracens. 

640.  The  Saracens  take  Alexandria,  and  burn  the  library. — - 
This  library  was  founded  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus, 
and  contained  an  immense  collection  of  books,  which 
the  Saracens  employed  to  heat  the  water  in  the  pub- 
lic baths  of  Alexandria,  4000  in  number,  for  six 
months. 

644.  Omar  killed  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  The  univer- 
sity of  Cambridge  founded  by  Sigebert,  king  of  East 
Anglia. 

647.  The  Saracens  make  themselves  masters  of  Africa. 

648.  Cyprus  taken  by  the  Saracens. 

652.  Persia  becomes  a part  of  the  empire  of  the  Caliphs. 

653.  The  Saracens  destroy  the  Colossus  of  Rhodes,  ravage 

Armenia,  and  defeat  the  Greeks  at  sea.  The  Danes 
invade  England. 

659.  The  Saracens  obtain  peace  of  Constans,  on  condition 

of  paying  him  100,000  crowns  yearly. 

660.  Organs  first  used  in  churches. 

663.  The  kingdom  of  Lombardy  taken  possession  of  by 
Grimoald,  duke  of  Beneventum. 

668.  Constans  murdered  in  a bath. 

669.  Sicily  ravaged  by  the  Saracens. 

671.  The  Saracens  invade  Syria,  besiege  Constantinople,  &c. 


92 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

673.  The  Greeks  defeat  the  Saracens,  and  disperse  their 

fleet.  Callinicus,  the  mathematician. — The  Saracens 
again  besieged  Constantinople,  but  were  defeated  by 
the  imperial  generals.  Callinicus,  an  experienced 
mathematician,  destroyed  the  whole  fleet  by  means  of 
an  artificial  fire  which  burned  under  water,  and  was 
subsequently  named  the  Greek  or  Gregorian  fire. 

674.  Glass  introduced  into  England  by  a Benedictine  monk. 

Others  say  in  663. 

675.  The  Saracens  attempting  to  land  in  Spain,  are  defeated 

by  Wamba. 

676.  The  Saracens  make  a peace  with  Constantine,  on  pay- 

ing an  annual  tribute.  A comet  appeared  at  Rome. 

680.  The  sixth  general  council  of  Constantinople. 

681.  Pestilence  in  Saxony,  and  next  year  in  Syria. 

684.  Egfrid  invades  Ireland,  but  is  defeated.  A comet  ap- 

peared at  Rome  in  January.  An  eruption  of  Vesu- 
vius. 

685.  Constantine  V.  dies.  The  Saxons  completely  subdue 

the  Britons. 

690.  Pepin  engrosses  the  power  of  the  French  monarchy. — 
Pepin  was  mayor  of  the  palace  of  the  French  king. 
The  mayors  of  the  palace  were  originally  nothing 
more  than  governors  of  the  royal  household,  but  in  a 
lapse  of  time  became  possessed  of  regal  authority. 
This  change  proved  hereditary  in  the  family  of 
Pepin. 

694.  A conspiracy  of  the  Jews  in  Spain.  Justinian  II.  ban- 

ished with  the  loss  of  his  nose. 

695.  Money  first  coined  by  the  Arabians. 

697.  Christianity  propagated  in  the  eastern  parts  of  France. 

Leontius  deposed. 

698.  Carthage  taken  by  the  Saracens,  who  expel  the  Ro- 

mans from  Africa.  The  Piets  in  Britain  embrace 
Christianity.  Christianity  introduced  into  Friesland. 
The  first  prince  of  Poland  elected,  and  Cracow  built. 

Eighth  Century. 

703.  Justinian  seizes  Thrace,  and  marches  to  Constanti- 

nople. 

704.  The  Lombards  reduced  by  intestine  wars. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


93 


a.  D. 

706.  The  Bulgarians  defeated  by  Justinian. 

707.  The  Saracens  invade  the  Roman  territories. 

709.  Ina  published  the  laws  of  the  Saxons  about  this 
time. 

711.  Philippicus  puts  Justinian  to  death. 

713.  The  Saracens  conquer  Spain.— By  the  marriage  of 

Abdallah^  the  Moor,  with  the  widow  of  the  Gothic 
king,  the  two  nations  were  united  in  interest. 

The  Bulgarians  ravage  Thrace. 

714.  Charles  Martel  governs  all  France. 

717.  The  Saracens  unsuccessfully  besiege  Constantinople, 

Charles  Martel  defeats  king  Chilperic. 

718.  Pelagio  founds  the  kingdom  of  Asturias. 

719.  Boniface  propagates  Christianity  in  Germany. 

726.  Two  edicts  for  demolishing  images  in  churches. 

727.  Ina,  king  of  Wessex,  began  the  tax  of  Peter’s  pence. 

729.  Two  comets  appear  this  year,  one  before  sunrise,  the 

other  after  sunset. 

730.  The  emperor  excommunicated  by  Pope  Gregory. 

732.  The  Saracens  defeated  near  Tours  by  Charles  Martel. 

The  Saracen  general,  Abdalrahman,  ravaged  France, 
when  Eudes,  duke  of  Aquitaine,  implored  the  assist- 
ance of  Charles  Martel,  upon  which  the  latter  as- 
sembled the  forces  of  his  kingdom,  and  exterminated  the 
Saracens,  killing  their  general,  and  375,000  of  their 
men.  Charles,  by  this  victory,  obtained  the  surname  of 
Martel  or  Hammer,  from  the  signal  manner  in  which 
he  had  beaten  the  enemy  in  pieces.  He  was  the  son 
of  Pepin,  and  effectually  stopped  the  progress  of  the 
Saracens,  who  had  overrun  Spain. 

735.  Charles  Martel  occupies  Aquitaine. 

736.  Leo  destroys  the  images  throughout  his  empire,  and 

persecutes  the  monks. 

737.  Joannes  Damascenus,  ob.  760. 

740.  The  duchy  of  Spoleto  seized  by  the  Lombards.  Leo 
III.  dies,  June  18.  An  earthquake  at  Constantino- 
ple, &c. 

743.  Fredegaire,  the  French  historian. 

744.  The  monastery  of  Fulda  in  Germany  founded. 

746.  A pestilence  in  Europe  and  Asia  for  three  years. 

748.  The  computation  of  years  from  the  birth  of  Christ  b© 

gins  to  be  used  in  histories  from  this  time. 


CHRONOLOGY 


84 

A.  D. 

749.  The  race  of  Abbas  become  caliphs  of  the  Saracens,  and 

encourage  learning.  Many  cities  in  Syria  destroyed 
by  an  earthquake. 

750.  The  Merovingian  race  ends  in  France. 

751.  The  second  race  of  the  French  kings  begins. 

752.  The  Exarchs  of  Ravenna  conquered  by  the  Lom- 

bards. 

753.  War  between  the  Lombards  and  the  pope. 

754.  Pepin  aids  the  pope  with  a numerous  army.  The 

kingdom  of  Cordova,  in  Spain,  founded. 

755.  The  temporal  dominion  of  the  pope  commences. 

757.  The  first  organ  sent  by  Constantine  to  France. 

761.  A comet  appeared  at  Rome,  and  moved  from  east  to 

west. 

762.  Bagdad  built  by  Almansor.  The  dead  first  buried  in 

towns. 

763.  A violent  frost  begins  Oct.  1,  and  continues  about  150 

days. 

766.  Armenia  and  Asia  ravaged  by  the  Turks. 

770.  Constantine  dissolves  the  eastern  monasteries. 

772.  Charlemagne  wages  war  against  the  Saxons. 

774.  The  kingdom  of  the  Lombards  terminates. 

775.  Alcuinus  flourished,  ob.  804. 

776.  Nicephorus  banished  to  the  Chersonesus,  in  consequence 

of  a conspiracy  against  Leo  IV.  The  Saxons  re- 
duced by  Charlemagne. 

778.  Battle  of  Roncevaux.  Learning  restored  in  France  by 
Charlemagne. 

781.  Paulus  Warnefridus,  surnamed  Diaconus,  the  historian, 
ob.  801. 

784.  Charlemagne  defeats  Wittikind  and  the  Saxons. 

787.  The  Danes  arrive  in  England.  The  seventh  general 

council,  or  second  of  Nice,  begins  Sept.  24. 

788.  Pleadings  in  courts  of  judicature  are  instituted. 

790.  An  earthquake  at  Constantinople. 

791.  The  Avari  defeated  in  Pannonia  by  Charlemagne. 

The  Spaniards  defeat  the  Moors  with  great  slaughter. 

792.  An  academy  founded  in  Paris.  Ethel bert  murdered  by 

Offa.  Georgius  the  chronologer. 

794.  Charlemagne  extirpates  the  Huns. 

796.  The  pope  sends  legates  to  Charlemagne,  to  request  him 
to  confirm  his  election. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


95 


A.  D. 

797.  Seventeen  days  of  unusual  darkness.  The  Moors  de- 
feated by  Alphonso.  Constantine  dethroned  and  his 
eyes  put  out  by  his  mother  Irene. 

799.  Majorca  and  Minorca  taken  by  Constantine. 

800.  The  temporal  poweF  of  the  popes  abridged.  Charle- 

magne proclaimed  emperor  of  the  West.— Charle- 
magne repaired  to  Rome,  where  he  convoked  the 
nobles  and  bishops  to  examine  the  charges  laid  against 
pope  Leo ; the  accusers  were  in  consequence  pro- 
nounced calumniators  and  wicked,  and  condemned  to 
death,  when  the  pope,  fully  justified,  craved  and  ob- 
tained their  pardon. 

On  Christmas-day  Charlemagne  repaired  to  the  church 
of  St.  Peter,  arrayed  in  patrician  robes,  when,  during 
the  ceremony,  as  he  inclined  his  person  before  the  al- 
tar, the  pope  advanced  and  placed  the  diadem  on  his 
head,  when  the  assembled  multitude  exclaimed,  “ Life 
and  victory  to  Charles  Augustus,  crowned  by  the 
hand  of  God,  great  and  pacific  emperor  of  the  Ro- 
mans upon  which  the  pope  prostrated  himself,  and 
offered  homage  to  the  monarch.  Henceforth  all  the 
coinage  was  struck  with  the  effigies  of  the  new  Em- 
peror of  the  West  on  one  side,  and  that  of  St.  Peter 
on  the  other. 


Ninth  Century. 

801.  A great  earthquake  in  France,  Germany,  and  Ita- 

ly- 

S02.  Irene  banished  to  Lesbos,  Oct.  31. — Charlemagne  sent 
ambassadors  to  Constantinople  to  negotiate  a treaty  of 
peace  with  the  empress  Irene,  whom  it  was  under- 
stood he  was  desirous  of  espousing.  The  patrician 
Nicephorus,  in  consequence,  announced  to  the  army 
and  the  nobles  of  the  empire,  that  they  were  on  the 
point  of  being  subjected  to  the  dominion  of  a foreign 
prince  ; upon  which  Nicephorus  was  entreated  to  as- 
sume the  government,  and  was  proclaimed  according- 
ly. On  the  ensuing  day  Irene  was  banished  to  a 
monastery,  and  soon  after  was  exiled  to  the  isle  Les- 
bos, where  she  shortly  after  died. 

Joannes  Damascenus,  ob.  about  846. 


96 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

807.  A large  spot  was  seen  on  the  sun  for  eight  days, 

March  17. 

808.  The  Normans  make  their  first  descent  into  France. 

810.  A civil  war  between  Almamon  and  Alaminus. 

811.  Nicephorus  killed  by  Crannus,  king  of  the  Bulgarians. 

Eginhard,  the  historian,  ob.  842,  July  6th.  . 

814.  Leo  orders  images  to  be  demolished. 

815.  An  insurrection  in  Rome  against  the  pope. 

816.  Learning  encouraged  by  Almamon.— He  was  a great  pa- 

tron  of  sciences  and  letters,  causing  the  best  Greek  works 
to  be  translated  into  the  Persian,  and  made,  himself,  ob- 
servations on  the  sun.  It  was  from  this  period  that 
Arabians  or  Saracens  applied  themselves  to  the  study 
of  philosophy,  astronomy,  mathematics,  medicine, 
chemistry,  &c.  They  engrossed  most  of  the  learn- 
ing of  the  world  during  the  middle  ages. 

817.  Ecclesiastics  exempted  from  military  service.  Lewis 

divides  his  kingdom  among  his  children. 

819.  A degree  of  latitude  on  the  plains  of  Sinjar  measured 

by  order  of  Almamon. 

820.  Leo  Y.  killed  in  the  temple  at  Constantinople. 

822.  Constantinople  besieged  by  the  Saracens  ; but  the  Bul- 

garians raise  the  siege. 

823.  The  Saracens  of  Spain  take  possession  of  Crete,  and 

call  it  Candia. 

826.  Harold,  king  of  Denmark,  embraces  the  Christian  re- 

ligion, and  is  dethroned  by  his  subjects. 

827.  The  Saracens  obtain  possession  of  Sicily,  Calabria,  &c. 

Bernard,  count  of  Barcelona. 

828.  The  several  kingdoms  of  England  united  under  Eg- 

bert.— Egbert,  king  of  Wessex,  united  all  the  other 
provinces  of  Great  Britain,  under  the  title  of  king  of 
England,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  the  seven  kingdoms 
established  by  the  Anglo-Saxons.  In  consequence  of 
there  being  no  fixed  rule  of  succession  among  the 
Saxon  kings,  it  had  been  the  policy  of  those  princes 
to  slaughter  all  the  rivals  of  their  intended  successors. 
On  this  account,  and  owing  to  the  passion  for  celibacy 
hen  in  vogue,  all  the  royal  families  had  become 
nearly  extinct  in  the  kingdoms  of  the  Heptarchy  ; 
and  in  consequence,  Egbert  remained  sole  surviving 
descendant  of  the  Saxon  conquerors  of  Britain.  This 


OF  THE  WORLD.  97 

A.  D. 

circumstance  prompted  him  to  attempt  the  subjugation 
of  the  Heptarchy,  which  he  completed  ; and  by  his 
victorious  arms  and  virtuous  policy,  secured  in  his 
person  an  entire  dominion  over  the  country,  about 
387  years  after  the  first  arrival  of  the  Saxons  in 
Britain. 

The  kingdoms  of  Navarre  and  Aragon  founded. 
Rabanus  Maurus,  ob.  856. 

829.  Missionaries  sent  from  France  to  Sweden.  St.  Mark’s 
at  Venice  built. 

832.  Painters  banished  from  the  eastern  empire  by  Theophi- 
lus,  on  account  of  his  hatred  of  images. 

837.  A comet  appears  in  China  and  in  Europe. 

838.  Kenneth  defeats  and  extirpates  the  Piets.  A comet  ap- 

peared in  Scorpion  on  the  31st  January,  in  the  even- 
ing. 

839.  A comet  appeared  in  the  Ram. 

840.  Lewis  le  Debonnaire  dies,  set.  64.  A comet  ap- 

peared. 

841.  Lotharius  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Fontenai.  Albu- 

masar,  the  Arabian  astronomer. 

842.  Theophilus  dies.  Germany  separated  from  the  empire 

of  the  Franks.  In  841  or  842,  a comet  appeared  in 
Aquarius. 

843.  A partition  of  the  French  dominions  among  the  three 

brothers.  Godescalchus,  the  heretic,  ob.  870. 

844.  The  king  of  Corduba  defeated  by  the  king  of  Spain. 

A comet  appeared  above  Venus.  The  Vandals  de- 
feated by  the  king  of  Germany. 

845.  Irruption  of  the  Normans  into  Germany.  Hincmarus, 

archbishop  of  Rheims,  ob.  882. 

846.  Rome  besieged  by  the  Saracens. 

847.  A great  earthquake  in  Italy. 

848.  The  Saracens  defeat  the  Venetian  fleet  in  Crotona  Bay. 

849.  The  pope’s  allies  defeat  the  Saracen  fleet. 

850.  Christianity  propagated  by  Anscharius,  in  Denmark 

and  Sweden. 

851.  England  invaded  by  the  Normans.  The  Spanirds  de- 

feated by  the  Moors.  Sardinia  and  Corsica  ravaged 
by  the  Saracens. 

852.  The  English  defeat  the  Danes  at  Okley,  The  Chris- 

tians in  Spain  persecuted  by  the  Moors. 

9 


CHRONOLOGY 


98 

A.  D. 

853.  The  Normans  obtain  possession  of  some  cities  in 
France. 

855.  Lotharius  retires  to  a monastery,  and  dies. 

850.  Coasts  of  Holland  plundered  by  the  Normans.  An 
earthquake  over  a great  part  of  the  world. 

857.  The  Britons  defeat  the  Scots. 

859.  Carriages  used  on  the  Adriatic  during  an  intense  frost. 

Photius  deposed  in  886. 

860.  The  schism  of  the  Greeks  begins. 

881.  Ruric,  the  first  Russian  prince,  begins  his  reign. 

862.  Christianity  propagated  among  the  Sclavonians. 

865.  Civil  war  in  the  east  among  the  Saracens.  Italy  rav 

aged  by  the  Saracens. 

866.  Anastasius  the  librarian,  ob.  about  886. 

867.  The  Danes  conquer  Northumberland.  Christianity 

propagated  in  Bulgaria. 

888.  Egypt  throws  off  its  dependence  on  the  caliphs  of  Bag- 
dad under  Ahmed.  A large  comet  appeared. 

870.  England  ravaged  by  the  Danes. 

872.  Clocks  brought  to  Constantinople  from  Venice.  Alfred 

defeated  by  the  Danes  near  Wilton.  Charlemagne 
wages  war  against  the  Saxons. 

873.  France  desolated  by  locusts  and  pestilence. 

874.  Scotland  invaded  by  the  Danes.  In  874  or  976  a large 

red  comet  appeared. 

875.  A bearded  comet  appeared  in  France. 

878.  Alfred  hides  himself  in  the  isle  of  Athelney  ; but  soon 
after  drives  the  Danes  from  England. — This  great 
and  excellent  prince  was  engaged  in  opposing  the 
progress  of  the  Danes,  whom  he  defeated,  and  grant- 
ed them  peace  on  condition  of  their  quitting  the  king- 
dom. But  these  faithless  robbers,  having  been  rein- 
forced, continued  their  depredations,  and  so  terrified 
the  Saxons,  that  Alfred  was  obliged  to  conceal  him- 
self in  the  isle  of  Athelney.  After  remaining  there 
12  months  in  obscurity,  a fortunate  event  enabled 
him  to  defeat  the  Danes,  and  to  reascend  the  throne. 
He  reconnoitred  the  Danish  camp  in  the  disguise  of 
a harper,  fell  upon  them  unprepared,  and  defeated 
them  with  immense  slaughter.  The  remainder  of 
their  forces,  with  Guthrum  their  prince,  embraced 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


99 


Christianity,  and  were  settled  in  Northumberland  and 
East  Anglia. 

Whether  Alfred  be  considered  in  his  public  or  private 
character,  he  equally  deserves  to  be  ranked  among 
the  greatest  and  best  of  monarchs.  He  found  his 
kingdom  in  the  most  abject  state  to  which  anarchy, 
domestic  barbarity,  and  foreign  hostility,  could  reduce 
it ; and  he  brought  it  to  a pitch  of  eminence  surpass- 
ing, in  many  respects,  the  situation  of  cotemporary 
nations  ; and  well  deserved  the  title  of  Alfred  the 
Great,  securing  the  love  and  veneration  with  which 
his  memory  has  been  held  by  every  Englishman. 
He  established  a regular  militia,  as  well  as  a n .val 
force,  by  which  he  enabled  his  subjects  to  repel 
foreign  invasions. 

879.  Germany  invaded  by  the  Normans.  Alfraganus  the 

Arabian  astronomer. 

880.  France  ravaged  by  the  Normans.  Sept  19th,  A.  M. 

llh  45',  Albategni  observes  the  obliquity  of  the  eclip- 
tic to  be  23°  35'.  Lewis  and  Carloman  divide  the 
French  monarchy. 

881.  The  Normans  defeated  in  a great  battle  by  Lewis. 

882.  A comet  appeared  on  the  13th  Feb.  Albategni  Arac- 

tus  observes  the  aut.  equinox  at  Aractus,  Sept.  19th, 
lh  15'  after  midnight : ob.  about  888. 

884.  Reginon  the  historian,  ob.  908. 

885.  Paris  besieged  by  the  Normans. 

886.  University  of  Oxford  founded  by  Alfred.  He  estab- 

lished schools  and  seminaries  for  instruction  through- 
out his  dominions,  and  particularly  encouraged  learn- 
ing by  his  own  assiduity  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge. 
During  his  life,  which  was  not  long,  he  not  only 
fought  65  battles  in  person,  but,  by  a rigid  distribu- 
tion of  his  time,  acquired  more  knowledge  and  wrote 
more  books  than  the  generality  of  studious  men 
blessed  with  leisure.  Fully  aware  that  his  subjects 
were  not  susceptible  of  speculative  instruction,  he 
conveyed  his  precepts  in  parables  couched  in  easy 
poesy,  and  was  the  best  Saxon  poet  living.  He  trans- 
lated Orosius’s  and  Bede’s  histories,  and  Esop’s  Fables 
from  the  Greek.  He  prompted  his  subjects  to  the 
study  of  navigation,  and  encouraged  them  to  extend 


CHRONOLOGY 


100 

4.  D. 

their  commercial  intercourse  to  remote  countries. 
The  Scythians  seize  Croatia.  Charles  makes  a dis- 
graceful peace  with  the  Normans. 

888.  Dominions  of  Charles  le  Gros  divided  into  five  king- 

doms. 

889.  Greece  ravaged  by  the  Bulgarians. 

890.  France  and  the  Low  Countries  ravaged  by  the  Nor- 

mans. Alfred  divides  England  into  counties,  and 
completes  his  code  of  laws.  He  divided  England  into 
counties,  hundreds,  and  tythings,  and  so  exact  was 
his  police,  that  historians  affirm  that  he  hung  up,  by 
way  of  trial,  golden  bracelets  by  the  highways,  which 
no  man  dared  to  touch.  He  declared  “that  it  is  just 
the  English  should  forever  remain  as  free  as  their 
own  thoughts.55 

891.  England  again  invaded  by  the  Danes.  The  first  land- 

tax  in  England.  A comet  appeared  in  China. 

895.  The  monastery  of  Cluny  is  founded. 

896.  Rome  taken  by  Arnolph  of  Germany. 

897.  War  between  the  Greeks  and  Bulgarians.  A great 

famine  in  Germany.  John  Asser  the  historian,  ob. 

909. 

899.  Lombardy  ravaged  by  the  Hungarians.  A comet  ap 

peared  in  898  or  899. 

900.  Arnolph  dies,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  son  Louis  III 

Tenth  Century. 

901.  Civil  wars  in  France  and  Germany. 

902.  Himerius  defeats  the  Saracens,  and  disperses  their  fleet. 

A comet  appeared  with  its  tail  to  the  east,  and  con- 
tinued visible  for  40  days. 

903.  France  ravaged  by  the  Normans. 

904.  The  Hungarians  ravage  Italy.  A frost  of  120  days 

begins  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

905.  Haron  killed  by  Mahomet  the  Saracen  general.  A re- 

markable comet  appeared  in  China. 

906.  A very  red  comet  appeared,  and  continued  visible  for 

half  a year. 

908.  The  dynasty  of  the  Fatimites  begins  in  Africa. 

910.  War  in  England  with  the  Danes,  lasts  12  years. 

911.  Leo  VI.  dies,  June  11. 


OF  THE  WORLD 


101 


A.  D. 

912.  The  Normans  established  in  France.  The  barbarians 

who  during  the  course  of  many  years  ravaged  the 
shores  of  England  and  a great  part  of  the  continent 
of  Europe,  were  called  Normans  by  the  French,  and 
Danes  by  the  English.  They  were  sanguinary  and 
cruel ; war  was  their  element,  and  blood  and  plunder 
their  delight,  and  their  religion  was  calculated  to 
nourish  their  sanguinary  propensities.  Their  princi- 
pal deity,  Odin  or  Woden,  was  the  patron  of  carnage 
and  slaughter.  Rollo  their  general  made  Rouen  the 
depository  for  arms,  and  strongly  fortified  it.  Charles 
the  Simple,  believing  that  it  would  be  useless  to  at- 
tempt to  drive  out  an  enemy  whose  numbers  were 
daily  increasing,  made  a treaty  with  Rollo,  giving 
him  his  daughter  Grisella  in  marriage,  on  condition 
that  he  should  embrace  Christianity.  Rollo  acceded 
to  it,  and,  faithful  to  his  engagements,  was  baptized 
by  the  name  of  Robert  * he  received  Normandy  and 
Brittany  as  the  portion  of  his  wife,  and  turned  his 
thoughts  to  the  improvement  of  his  provinces  and  the 
happiness  of  his  subjects.  The  Carlovingian  em- 
perors end  in  Louis  III. 

913.  The  crown  of  England  seized  by  the  Danes.  A me- 

teor with  globes  of  fire  appeared. 

914.  The  Hungarians  defeated  by  Conrad.  The  Saracens 

defeated  by  Constantine’s  generals. 

915.  Saxony  ravaged  by  the  Hungarians.  University  of 

Cambridge  founded. 

916.  The  Saracens  in  Spain  defeated  by  Ordonno  II.,  who 

kills  70,000. 

917.  Constantinople  besieged  by  the  Bulgarians. 

919.  Phocas  killed  by  Romanus,  who  is  raised  to  the  empire. 

920.  The  Christians  defeated  by  the  Moors  in  Spain. 

922.  The  Hungarians  pillage  Germany.  Berenger  defeated 

by  Rodolph  at  Placentia. 

923.  The  Moors  defeated  in  Spain.  A comet  appeared  in 

China. 

924.  Italy  ravaged  by  the  Hungarians. 

929.  Eudes  de  Cluni,  ob.  942. 

930.  A comet  appears  in  Cancer. 

932.  Arnolph  of  Bavaria  defeated  near  Verona,  by  Hugh 
king  of  Italy. 


9* 


CHRONOLOGY 


102 

A.  D. 

933.  The  Hungarians  defeated  in  Germany.  A frost  of  120 
days  begins  at  the  close  of  the  year. 

936.  The  Saracen  empire  partitioned  into  seven  kingdoms. 

937.  Luitprand,  the  historian,  ob.  970. 

939.  The  Saracens  defeated  at  Simanca  by  Ramirus  king 
of  Spain. 

941.  Arithmetic  brought  into  Europe.  Athelstan,  king  of 

England,  in  order  to  encourage  commerce,  enacted 
that  every  merchant  who  had  made  three  voyages  to 
the  Mediterranean,  or  other  distant  parts,  should  be 
admitted  to  the  rank  of  a thane , or  nobleman  of  the 
first  rank. 

942.  Naples  seized  by  the  eastern  emperors.  In  941  or 

942,  a comet  appeared  during  15  days  of  November. 

944.  A large  globe  of  fire  appeared. 

945.  France  invaded  by  the  Danes. 

946.  Edmund,  king  of  England,  assassinated  at  a feast  given 

to  his  nobles.  He  had  made  a law  that  when  gangs 
of  robbers  were  taken,  the  eldest  should  be  hanged 
and  the  rest  banished.  At  a festival,  happening  to 
see  Leolf,  a notorious  thief  whom  he  had  sentenced 
to  banishment,  enter  the  hall  where  he  was  dining 
and  take  his  seat  with  the  attendants,  indignant  at 
such  insolence,  he  commanded  him  to  retire,  which  he 
refused  to  do ; and  Edmund  seizing  him  by  the  hair, 
the  ruffian  stabbed  and  killed  him.  Having  none  but 
very  young  children,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 
Edred,  the  tenth  monarch  from  the  Saxon  Heptarchy. 

947.  Alfarabius  the  Arabian  astronomer. 

950.  Bohemia  made  tributary  to  Otho. 

951.  Berenger  driven  out  of  Italy  by  Otho. 

953.  Otho  subdues  the  Hungarians  in  Bavaria,  and  com- 
pels them  to  pay  him  tribute  and  to  embrace  Chris- 
tianity. To  counterbalance  the  power  usurped  by 
the  nobility,  he  increased  the  privileges  of  the  clergy, 
and  invested  them  with  counties  and  duchies. 

957.  The  Sclavonians  defeated  in  Saxony  by  Otho.  Edwy, 
king  of  England,  was  not  17  years  old  when  he  as- 
cended the  throne,  possessing  an  engaging  exterior 
and  many  virtues.  He  was  engaged  in  quarrels  with 
the  monks,  whose  rancor  neither  his  accomplish- 
ments nor  virtues  could  appease.  Edwy  had  espoused 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


103 


the  beautiful  princess  Elgiva,  of  the  royal  line,  being 
within  the  reputed  degrees  of  affinity  prohibited  by  the 
canon  law.  Dunstan,  with  Odo,  Archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury, interfered,  upbraiding  the  monarch  and  be- 
stowing the  most  opprobrious  epithets  on  his  queen ; 
to  punish  which  the  king  demanded  of  Dunstan  an 
account  of  the  treasures  confided  to  him  in  the  pre- 
ceding reign.  Dunstan,  refusing  to  answer  the  de- 
mand, was  banished  from  the  kingdom,  which  so  en- 
raged Otho  that  he  pronounced  a divorce  between 
Edwy  and  Elgiva ; and  the  king  finding  it  in  vain  to 
oppose  the  anathemas  of  the  church,  consented  to  a 
separation  from  his  beloved  wife.  Odo  sent  a band 
of  soldiers,  who  seized  the  queen,  branded  her  on  the 
face  with  a hot  iron,  and  sent  her  into  exile  in  Ireland. 
The  queen,  being  cured  of  her  wounds,  which  for  a 
time  had  defaced  her  beauty,  returned  to  England  to 
join  her  beloved  lord,  when,  failing  into  the  hands  of 
the  emissaries  of  the  bishop,  they  caused  her  to  be 
hamstrung,  and  she  expired  in  a few  days  in  excruci- 
ating tortures.  The  monks  fomented  a revolt  against 
Edwy.  Dunstan  returned  to  England  and  assumed  the 
government  for  Edgar  the  king’s  brother.  Edwy  was 
excommunicated,  and  forced  to  consent  to  a division 
of  the  kingdom,  and  died  soon  after.  Such  was  the 
disastrous  and  almost  irresistible  power  of  the  monks 
in  those  days,  even  over  monarchs. 

958.  War  between  the  Normans  and  Saracens  in  Italy. 

959.  Italy  pillaged  by  Berenger.  The  power  of  the  monks 

very  great  in  England.  Rhazes,  the  Arabian  phy- 
sician, ob.  1010,  set.  about  90. 

960.  Otho  marches  against  the  Vandals. 

961.  Candia  recovered  from  the  Saracens  by  Phocas. 

962.  A large  comet  appeared. 

964.  Italy  united  to  the  empire  of  Germany.  Pope  John 
XII.  abandoned  the  cause  of  Otho,  emperor  of  Ger- 
many, to  espouse  that  of  Adalbert ; when  Otho  crossed 
the  Alps,  and  made  every  thing  fly  before  him.  He 
marched  to  Rome,  which  opened  its  gates,  and  took 
anew  the  oath  of  fidelity  ; after  which  the  victor  as- 
sembled a council  at  Rome,  in  which  he  presided. 
The  pope  was  summoned  before  him,  accused  of 


CHRONOLOGY 


104 

A.  D. 

terrible  crimes,  and  refusing  to  appear  and  answer,  was 
deposed,  and  Leo  VIII.  was  put  in  his  place.  Scarcely 
was  Otho  gone  when  the  Romans  revolted  against 
him,  and  recalled  John  XII.,  forcing  Leo  to  retire. 
Otho  retraced  his  steps  immediately,  took  possession 
of  Rome,  and  severely  punished  the  mutineers,  exiled 
the  consuls,  hung  the  tribunes,  and  had  the  prefect 
scourged  through  the  principal  streets  of  Rome. 

965.  Geber  the  Arabian  astronomer  flourished. 

966.  Bulgaria  invaded  by  Russia. 

967.  Cyprus  and  Antioch  recovered  from  the  Saracens  by 

Nicephorus.  The  emperor  Otho  sent  to  Nicephorus, 
the  emperor  of  the  East,  to  demand  Theopania  his 
daughter  in  marriage  for  his  son  Otho,  whom  he 
caused  to  be  crowned  emperor  at  Rome.  But  the 
escort,  consisting  of  the  principal  courtiers  who  went 
to  receive  the  princess,  were  arrested  and  carried  in 
triumph  to  Constantinople.  Placed  by  some  in  965. 

968.  A famine  in  Germany.  Spain  ravaged  by  the  Nor- 

mans. 

969.  Otho,  jun.,  drives  the  Saracens  from  Italy.  The  Em- 

peror of  the  West  collected  a powerful  army,  the 
command  of  which  was  given  to  his  son  Otho.  The 
young  prince  marched  against  the  Greeks,  drove  the 
Saracens  from  Italy,  and  completely  routed  the  army 
of  Nicephorus,  Emperor  of  the  East.  He  then  caused 
the  noses  of  all  his  prisoners  to  be  cut  off,  and  in  that 
mutilated  state  to  be  sent  back  to  Constantinople.  On 
beholding  that  spectacle,  the  people,  the  nobility,  and 
the  army,  uttered  maledictions  against  Nicephorus, 
whose  former  perfidy  had  caused  the  misfortune,  on 
which  Nicephorus  was  assassinated  by  Zemisces,  one 
of  the  principal  generals  of  the  empire,  aided  by  the 
empress.  Zemisces  was  then  crowned  emperor,  and 
his  first  step  was  to  excuse  himself  to  the  Emperor 
Otho,  and  to  dispatch  the  princess  Theopania,  who 
married  young  Otho  soon  after,  and  was  crowned 
empress. 

971.  The  Russians,  Bulgarians,  &c.,  defeated  by  Bardas. 

975.  A comet  appeared  in  August,  and  continued  visible 

eight  months. 

976.  Bardas  usurps  the  eastern  empire  for  ten  years. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


105 


A.  D. 

977.  The  Bohemians  subdued  by  Otho. 

978.  Abbo  the  monk  and  astronomer,  ob.  1003. 

979.  War  between  Otho  and  Lothaire.  A comet  appears  in 

Virgo. 

980.  Apulia  and  Calabria  recovered  by  Basil  and  Constan- 

tine, the  emperors  of  Constantinople. 

982.  Albiranius,  the  Arabian  geographer.  Saxony  ravaged 

by  the  Vandals  and  Bohemians.  A civil  war  in 
Spain. 

983.  Venice  distracted  by  violent  commotions. 

985.  England  and  Scotland  invaded  by  the  Danes  under 

Sueno. 

986.  An  earthquake  in  Greece. 

987.  The  Carlovingian  race  terminates,  and  the  third  race 

of  kings  begins  in  France.  Louis  V.  was  the  last 
king  of  his  race,  and  was  succeeded  by  Hugh  Capet, 
who  was  crowned  at  Rheims,  and  made  Paris  his 
capital,  which  had  ceased  to  be  the  royal  residence 
since  the  first  race  of  the  French  kings. 

988.  Plague  in  Germany. 

990.  The  Normans  invade  England.  In  the  hope  of  check- 

ing their  ravages  and  encroachments,  Ethelred,  with 
the  concurrence  of  a national  council,  agreed  to  pay 
24,000  pounds  to  the  fierce  invaders.  This  money 
was  called  Danegdd  ; and  hence  arose  the  first  land- 
tax  in  England.  The  invaders  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  defenceless  state  of  the  island,  were  encour- 
aged to  renew  their  depredations  afterwards. 

991.  The  figures  in  arithmetic  brought  into  Europe  by  the 

Saracens  from  Arabia.  Gerbert,  afterwards  Pope 
Silvester  II.,  ob.  about  1003. 

993.  A great  eruption  of  Vesuvius. 

994.  England  invaded  with  a great  army  by  the  king  of 

Denmark,  Sueno  or  Sweyn,  who  ravaged  the  country. 

995.  Almanzor  defeats  the  Christians. 

996.  Otho  III.  declares  the  empire  of  Germany  elective. 

Hugh  Capet  dies,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  son  Robert. 
998.  Almanzor  defeated  by  the  Christians. 

1000.  Basil  routs  the  Bulgarians,  and  drives  them  from 
Thessaly.  In  999  or  1000  a large  globe  of  fire  ap- 
peared. 


106 


CHRONOLOGY 


Eleventh  Century. 

a.  D. 

1001.  An  insurrection  against  Otho  in  Rome. 

1002.  Otho  III.  dies  at  Paterno.  The  title  of  King  of  the 

Romans  assumed  by  the  emperor  Henry.  Massa- 
cre of  the  Danes  in  England,  Nov.  13.  Ethelred 
ordered  a general  massacre  of  the  Danes  settled  in 
the  kingdom,  which  was  executed  the  same  day. 
Avicenna  the  Arabian  physician,  ob.  1050,  set.  80. 

1004.  England  invaded  by  Sueno.  Sueno  revenged  this 

cruel  act  by  devastating  England  with  fire  and 
sword,  and  at  length  divided  the  kingdom  with  Ed^ 
mund  Ironside.  A comet  appears. 

1005.  The  old  churches  begin  to  be  rebuilt  in  a new  style 

of  architecture.  A comet  seen  for  13  days. 

1006.  A pestilence  throughout  Europe  for  three  years. 

1007.  A great  eruption  of  Vesuvius. 

1009.  A civil  war  among  the  Saracens  in  Spain.  A large 

comet  appears  at  the  end  of  May,  and  is  seen  during 
four  months. 

1010.  An  earthquake  at  Constantinople. 

1012.  An  annual  tribute  granted  to  the  Danes  by  Ethelred. 

1013.  Sueno  obtains  possession  of  England. 

1014.  A violent  storm,  Sept.  18th,  which  inundated  Flanders. 

1015.  The  emperor  of  Germany  receives  an  annual  tribute 

from  the  king  of  Poland. 

1016.  Edmund  Ironside  fought  six  battles  in  England,  with 

Canute  II.  of  Denmark.  After  the  death  of  Edmund, 
the  crown  of  England  was  given  to  Canute  the  Great, 
by  an  assembly  of  the  states  held  at  Gloucester. 
The  children  of  Edmund  were  sent  into  Hungary ; 
and  Canute  pacified  Richard  duke  of  Normandy, 
who  was  preparing  to  protect  the  sons  of  Ethelred, 
by  espousing  Emma  his  sister,  the  mother  of  the 
young  princes.  He  endeavored  to  conciliate  the 
affections  of  the  English  by  the  equity  and  mildness 
of  his  administration  ; and  omitted  no  opportunity  of 
incorporating  them  with  the  Danes.  He  obtained 
the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  greatest  and  most 
powerful  princes  of  his  age. 

1017.  A large  comet  appears  in  Leo. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


107 


A.  D. 

1018.  The  Normans  first  penetrate  into  Italy  in  a body. 

1019.  Bulgaria  reduced  to  a Roman  province. 

1020.  A dreadful  pestilence  in  Saxony. 

1022.  A new  species  of  music,  under  six  notes,  introduced 

by  Guy  d’Arezzo  or  Aretino  the  monk.  See  Are 
tino. 

1023.  Palestine  ravaged  by  the  caliph  of  Egypt,  who  plun 

ders  the  temple  of  Jerusalem. 

1028.  Norway  conquered  by  Canute.  Constantine,  empe 
ror  of  the  East,  dies,  set.  70,  and  is  succeeded  by 
Romanus. 

1030.  Romanus  defeated  by  the  Saracens.  Campanus  of 

Novarro,  the  astronomer. 

1031.  The  Saracens  driven  out  of  Syria  by  Romanus,  who 

begins  to  build  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  Apulia 
conquered  by  the  Normans. 

1032.  The  kingdom  of  Arles  bequeathed  to  Conrad. 

1033.  A great  eclipse  of  the  sun  observed,  June  29.  Glaber 

the  historian,  ob.  after  1045. 

1035.  The  king  of  Sicily  takes  Capua  from  the  pope.  Com- 

mencement of  the  kingdoms  of  Castile  and  Aragon. 
Saxony  ravaged  by  the  Vandals. 

1036.  The  kingdom  of  Norway  begins. 

1038.  Famine  and  earthquake  at  Constantinople.  The  dy- 
nasty of  Omniades  ends  in  Spain. 

1040.  Smyrna  destroyed  by  an  earthquake.  Italy  invaded 

by  the  Saracens  of  Africa.  Bohemia  ravaged  by  the 
Greeks. 

1041.  Hermanns  the  monk  and  mathematician. 

1042.  A comet  appeared  Oct.  6,  moving  from  east  to  west. 

1043.  The  Russians  from  Scythia  land  in  Thrace.  The 

Turks  obtain  possession  of  Persia. 

1046.  Three  usurping  popes  deposed  by  the  council  of  Su- 
trium.  Henry  defeats  William  of  Normandy  in 
three  battles.  Franco  the  mathematician  flourished. 
1050.  The  Greek  church  separates  from  the  Latin. 

1052.  Peter  Damiani,  ob.  1072. 

1053.  Pope  Leo  IX.  taken  prisoner  by  the  Normans.  Mi- 

chael Cerularius,  ob.  1058. 

1055.  Bagdad  taken  by  the  Turks,  who  overturn  the  empire 
of  the  Caliphs. 

1057.  Michael  deposed  by  Isaac  Comnenus,  who  is  pro. 


10S  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

claimed  emperor  of  Constantinople.  Geo.  Cedrenus, 
the  historian. 

1058.  Saracens  driven  from  Sicily  by  Robert  Guiscard. 

1059.  Berenger,  ob.  1088,  set.  90. 

1060.  A great  famine  in  Germany. 

1061.  Surnames  appointed  to  be  assumed  in  Scotland,  by  a 

parliament  held  at  Forfar.  During  this  year  arose 
the  celebrated  faction  between  the  Guelphs  and 
Ghibbelines , the  former  being  partisans  of  the  pope, 
and  the  latter  of  the  German  emperors. 

1062.  A journey  to  Palestine  undertaken  by  above  70,000 

persons,  who  were  either  killed  or  made  prisoners. 
Michael  Psellus  the  philosopher. 

1063.  The  massacre  of  Goslar. 

1064.  A comet  appeared  during  several  months. 

1065.  The  Turks  take  Jerusalem  from  the  Saracens. 

1066.  A comet  appeared  in  May,  and  followed  the  sun.  It 

continued  visible  40  days.  The  conquest  of  Eng- 
land by  William  the  Bastard,  duke  of  Normandy, 
in  the  battle  of  Hastings,  Oct.  14.  Edward  the 
Confessor,  of  England,  died  on  the  5th  of  January, 
aged  65  years,  and  in  the  26th  year  of  his  reign. 
Having,  with  his  wife,  taken  a mutual  vow  of  chas- 
tity, he  died  without  issue,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Harold,  a powerful  nobleman ; but  he  is  said  to 
have  nominated  William  duke  of  Normandy  as  his 
successor.  William  the  First,  natural  son  of  Robert 
duke  of  Normandy,  having  heard  that  Harold  had 
mounted  the  throne  of  England,  prepared  to  assert 
his  claim  by  force.  He  raised  a powerful  army, 
and  landed  on  the  coast  of  Sussex,  where,  on  the 
14th  of  October,  a sanguinary  conflict  ensued,  during 
which  William  had  three  horses  killed  under  him, 
and  15,000  Normans  were  slain ; while  the  loss  of 
the  conquered  was  more  considerable,  among  whom 
was  Harold,  in  whose  person  terminated  the  Saxon 
race  of  kings  in  England,  after  it  had  lasted  upwards 
of  600  years. 

William  distributed  the  confiscated  lands  of  the  nobles 
in  England  extensively  to  his  Norman  adherents, 
and  enacted  a law  that  fire  and  lamp  should  be  ex- 
tinguished throughout  his  dominions  at  8 o’clock, 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


109 


A.  D» 

when  the  curfew-bell  was  rung,  the  more  effectually 
to  check  conspiracies  against  him.  The  English 
were  also  excluded  from  stations  in  the  church, 
which  were  filled  by  Normans.  He  moreover  at- 
tempted to  abolish  the  English  or  Saxon  language, 
causing  the  Norman  French  to  be  the  language  of 
the  court,  and  that  in  which  the  proceedings  of  the 
courts  of  justice  were  held.  From  this  source  many 
of  the  French  words,  and  particularly  law-terms,  in 
the  English  language  had  their  origin ; but  William 
found  it  less  difficult  to  conquer  the  English  nation 
than  to  extirpate  the  Saxon  language. 

Edgar  Atheling,  the  surviving  heir  of  the  Saxon  line, 
fled  with  his  two  sisters  into  Scotland,  where  Mar- 
garet, one  of  them,  married  Malcolm  III.,  king  of 
that  country,  whose  descendants  afterwards  inherited 
the  English  throne. 

1069.  The  Danes  land  in  England,  Sept.  11. 

1070.  The  feudal  law  introduced  into  England.  The  feudal 

system  is  supposed  to  have  originated  in  Lombardy, 
in  the  6th  century.  The  lands  were  held  by  the 
lords  on  condition  of  performing  military  service  to 
their  sovereigns ; and  the  vassals  held  them  under 
their  lords, with  a like  obligation  of  military  service  to 
them,  which  contributed  greatly  to  increase  the  power 
of  the  lords,  by  which  they  became  formidable  to 
their  sovereign.  The  crusades  contributed  to  break 
up  this  arrangement. 

1071.  The  Turks  under  Azun  defeat  Romanus,  and  take 

him  prisoner.  A comet  appeared  for  25  days,  and 
moved  from  south  to  east. 

1072.  Sicily  taken  possession  of  by  Roger.  Surnames  used 

in  England  about  this  time. 

1073.  Marianus  Scotus,  ob.  1086. 

1074.  The  king  of  Bohemia  obliged  to  pay  a tribute  to  the 

Holy  See. 

1075.  Henry  IV.  defeats  the  Saxons  at  Neustadt,  in  Thu- 

ringia, June  9. 

1076.  Quarrel  between  Henry  IV.  and  the  pope.  An  earth- 

quake in  England.  Asia  Minor  subdued  by  Soly- 
man  in  1074,  now  called  Turkey. 

1077.  The  emperor  goes  barefooted  to  the  pope. 

10 


CHRONOLOGY 


110 

A.  T), 

1079.  Persian  year  reformed.  Avicenna  observes  the  ver- 

nal equinox,  March  14,  P.  M.  2h  9'.  Arzachel,  the 
Spanish  astronomer. 

1080.  Domesday-book  begins  to  be  compiled,  and  was  com- 

pleted in  1086.  Having  secured  the  peace  of  his 
realms,  William  completed  the  famous  Domesday 
Book,  which  is  still  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the 
Exchequer  in  England,  constituting  a curious  his- 
torical record  of  antiquity.  It  contained  a complete 
survey  of  all  the  lands  in  the  kingdom,  with  an  ac- 
count of  their  extent,  proprietors,  tenures,  and  value, 
distinguishing  whether  they  are  meadows,  pasture, 
arable  lands,  or  woods. 

To  gratify  his  passion  for  hunting,  the  king  laid  waste 
above  30  miles  of  country  about  Winchester,  the 
usual  place  of  his  residence,  and  called  it  New 
Forest. 

1081.  Rome  besieged  by  Henry.  William  of  Spires,  the 

mathematician. 

1083.  Rome  taken  by  Henry,  June  2. 

1085.  Toledo  wrested  from  the  Saracens. 

1086.  Bruno  founds  the  order  of  Carthusians. 

1087.  An  expedition  of  the  Christians  against  the  Saracens 

in  Africa.  France  ravaged  by  William  the  Con- 
queror. Suidas,  author  of  the  Greek  Lexicon. 

1088.  Alphonso  YI.  wrests  the  northern  part  of  Portugal 

from  the  Saracens. 

1089.  Rosalinus  of  Compiegne,  the  head  of  the  sect  of  Nomi- 

nalists. 

1090.  The  dynasty  of  Assassins  begins  in  Irak,  and  continues 

117  years. 

1091.  Joseph,  king  of  Morocco,  obtains  possession  of  the  do- 

minions of  the  Saracens  in  that  kingdom. 

1092.  Peter,  surnamed  the  Hermit. 

1093.  Conrad  rebels  against  the  Emperor  Henry,  his  father. 

1094.  Sweden  conquered  by  Margaret,  and  annexed  to  Den- 

mark. 

1095.  Sigebert  the  historian,  ob.  1113. 

1096.  The  first  crusade  into  Palestine.  The  crusades  were 

wars  waged  by  Christian  Europe,  chiefly  against 
the  Turks  or  Mahometans,  for  the  recovery  of  Pa- 
lestine out  of  their  hands.  The  dominion  of  the 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


Ill 


Turks,  a race  of  Tartars,  rendered  the  resort  of  pil- 
grims to  the  tomb  of  the  Saviour  vexatious,  which 
was  sufficient  in  those  superstitious  times  to  reuse  all 
Europe  for  the  deliverance  of  Jerusalem  from  the 
infidels.  The  Roman  pontiffs  were  the  chief  insti- 
gators of  these  desperate  adventures.  There  were 
five  or  more  expeditions  of  the  kind,  which,  during 
two  centuries,  -drained  Europe  of  much  of  its  life- 
blood and  treasures.  They  failed  entirely  of  their 
ultimate  object,  though  some  of  their  results  were 
important.  The  first  crusade,  led  by  Peter  the  Her- 
mit, consisted  of  a numerous  multitude,  men,  women, 
and  children,  but  principally  of  warriors,  said  to 
have  been  80,000  in  number.  On  their  arrival  at 
Constantinople,  they  were  reduced  to  one  third  of 
their  original  number,  and  were  defeated  and  most 
of  them  destroyed  by  Solyman  on  the  plains  of  Nice. 
A comet  appeared.  Naples  and  Sicily  taken  by  the 
emperor. 

1097.  Nicsea  taken  by  Godfrey  of  Boulogne.  The  Saracens 

defeated  by  the  Christians.  A comet  appeared  dur- 
ing the  first  eight  days  of  October. 

1098.  Antioch  taken  by  Godfrey.  Order  of  St.  Benedict 

instituted. 

1099.  Jerusalem  taken  by  the  crusaders,  July  15.  Godfrey 

elected  king  of  Jerusalem.  Knights  of  St.  John  in- 
stituted. Godfrey  gains  the  battle  of  Ascalon.  The 
company  of  Peter  the  Hermit  was  followed  by  a 
larger  and  better  disciplined  army,  which  amounted, 
with  its  attendants,  to  700,000,  under  the  command 
of  Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  and  other  distinguished 
princes.  They  defeated  a great  army  of  their  ene- 
mies ; and  after  a most  desperate  assault,  and 
wading  through  the  blood  of  more  than  70,000  Ma- 
hometans, Godfrey  stood  victorious  on  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem.  It  was  a remarkable  fact,  which  could 
not  fail  In  those  days  of  superstition  to  be  noticed, 
that  on  Good  Friday,  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  the 
day  and  hour  of  Christ’s  passion,  Jerusalem  was 
conquered,  and  Godfrey  was  proclaimed  its  king, 
which  station  he  held  but  one  year,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Baldwin,  his  brother. 


CHRONOLOGY 


112 

A.  D. 

1100.  An  earthquake  in  Sicily.  William  Rufus  dies.  On 

the  death  of  Rufus,  who  was  never  married,  the  suc- 
cession would  have  devolved  on  Robert  of  Normandy, 
but  he  was  absent  on  a crusade  to  the  Holy  Land, 
and  therefore  Henry  the  First,  t8he  third  son  of  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror,  ascended  the  English  throne. 
To  consolidate  his  power  by  the  union  of  the  Norman 
with  the  Saxon  line  of  monarchs,  he  projected  a 
marriage  with  Matilda,  daughter  of  Malcolm,  king 
of  Scotland,  and  Margaret  his  wife,  who  was  the 
sister  of  Edgar  Etheling.  But  she  had  taken  the 
veil  and  become  a nun.  By  a council,  however,  she 
was  released  from  her  vows,  and  their  nuptials  were 
celebrated  with  great  pomp  and  splendor. 

Twelfth  Century. 

1101.  A comet  appeared  in  February. 

1102.  The  Saracens  defeated  near  Joppa  by  Baldwin.  Wil- 

liam, duke  of  Aquitaine,  goes  to  Palestine  with  a 
great  army.  A comet  appeared  during  the  fifteen 
last  days  of  October. 

1103.  Massacre  of  William’s  army  at  Constantinople. 

1104.  Baldwin  defeats  the  Saracens,  and  takes  Ptolemais. 

1105.  Normandy  invaded  by  Henry,  king  of  England. 

1106.  A large  comet  appeared. 

1107.  A comet  appeared  for  forty  days. 

1108.  Hungary  rescued  from  German  servitude. 

1109.  Joseph,  king  of  Morocco,  defeats  the  Spaniards  in  the 

battle  of  the  seven  counts  near  Badajos.  Tripoli 
taken  by  the  crusaders. 

1110.  Learning  revived  at  Cambridge.  Paper  made  of  cot- 

ton commonly  used  for  writing.  A comet  appeared 
from  June  6th  till  December,  with  its  tail  turned  to 
the  south. 

1111.  A comet  appeared  for  a long  time. 

1113.  War  between  France  and  England  begins. 

1114.  Peter  Abelard,  ob.  1143,  set.  63. 

1115.  A large  comet  appeared. 

1117.  An  earthquake  in  Lombardy.  Anna  Comnena,  the 

historian. 

1118.  The  order  of  Knights  Templars  instituted. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


113 


A.  D. 

1119.  Turks  defeated  at  Antioch  by  Baldwin.  Bohemia 

formed  into  a kingdom. 

1120.  Prince  William,  with  a number  of  English  lords, 

drowned  in  the  English  channel. 

1121.  The  order  of  Premontre  instituted. 

1122.  The  Scythians  defeated  by  John  Comnenus. 

1125.  The  Saracens  overcome  by  Baldwin  near  Antioch. 

Germany  afflicted  with  the  plague. 

1127.  The  pope  makes  war  upon  Roger,  duke  of  Sicily,  who 
is  proclaimed  king  in  the  year  1130. 

1130.  Athelard,  monk  of  Bath,  the  mathematician. 

1132.  The  Cistertian  monks  exempted  from  tithes.  St.  Ber- 
nard, ob.  1153. 

1135.  Beneventum,  Capua,  &c.  taken  by  Roger,  king  of 

Sicily,  from  the  pope.  A comet  appears  on  the  8th 
October. 

1136.  Averroes  of  Corduba,  ob*  1206. 

1137.  The  pandect  of  Justinian  found  in  Amalfi. 

1138.  England  invaded  by  the  Scots,  who  are  defeated.  A 

comet  appears  in  China. 

1139.  A civil  war  in  England.  Alphonso,  after  defeating 

five  Saracen  kings,  and  taking  Lisbon,  is  proclaimed 
king  of  Portugal. 

1140.  King  Stephen  taken  prisoner  at  Lincoln,  Feb.  2.  The 

doctrine  of  Abelard  condemned.  The  canon  law 
brought  into  England.  William  of  Malmesbury, 
the  historian. 

1141.  Stephen  begins  to  recover  his  kingdom.  The  dissen- 

sions between  the  Guelphs  and  Ghibelines  prevail. 
Peter  Lombard,  ob.  1164. 

1143.  The  Alkoran  translated  into  Latin. 

1144.  The  primacy  of  the  church  of  Toledo  confirmed. 

1146.  The  dynasty  of  the  Almoravides  in  Africa  and  Spain 

succeeded  by  that  of  the  Almohedes.  The  Empress 
Matilda  leaves  England. 

1147.  The  second  crusade  into  the  Holy  Land  by  the  preach- 

ing of  St.  Bernard. 

1148.  Damascus  unsuccessfully  besieged  by  the  Christians. 

Conrad  and  Louis  arrive  at  Jerusalem.  Humenus, 
the  Egyptian  astronomer. 

1149.  Henry  of  Anjou  asserts  his  claim  to  the  crown  of  Eng- 

land. Greece  ravaged  by  Roger  VI.  of  Sicily. 

10* 


CHRONOLOGY 


114 

A.  D. 

115(L  The  civil  war  revived  at  Bologna  by  Wernerus,  who 
died  in  1190. 

1151.  The  canon  law  composed  by  Gratian. 

1152.  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth. 

>.153.  Treaty  of  Winchester,  by  which  Stephen  grants  to 
Henry  the  reversion  of  his  kingdom. 

1154.  Damascus  taken  by  Nouradin.  Christianity  intro- 
duced into  Finland.  A1  Edrisius,  the  Arabian  geo- 
grapher. 

1156.  The  city  of  Moscow  founded. 

1157.  An  earthquake  in  Spain.  Nouradin  defeated  near 

Gennesareth  by  Baldwin.  Finland  conquered  by 
the  Swedes. 

1158.  Frederic  received  the  title  of  king  of  Bohemia  at  the 

diet  of  Ratisbon. 

1159.  Commotions  in  Scotland.  War  between  England  and 

France.  The  pope  excommunicates  the  emperor. 
John  Tzetzes,  the  critic  and  historian,  ob.  about 
1176. 

1160.  The  order  of  Carmelites  instituted. 

1161.  Eustathius,  the  commentator  on  Homer. 

1162.  The  power  of  the  crusaders  declines  in  Palestine. 

The  emperor  Frederic  destroys  Milan,  but  preserves 
the  churches. 

1163.  Raymond  II.  defeated  by  Nouradin.  John  of  Salis- 

bury, ob.  1187. 

1164.  The  first  king  of  Sardinia  created  by  Frederic.  A 

contest  between  Henry  of  England  and  Becket. 
The  council  of  Clarendon,  Jan.  25. 

1165.  Two  comets,  or  one  comet  with  two  tails,  appear  in 

Libra. 

1166.  Maimonides  of  Corduba,  a learned  Jew,  ob.  1208. 

1167.  Rome  taken  possession  of  by  Frederic.  War  between 

England  and  France.  Egypt  invaded  by  the  caliph 
f of  Persia.  Henry  of  Huntingdon. 

1169.  An  interview  at  St.  Denis  between  the  kings  of  Eng- 

land and  France. 

1170.  Peace  concluded  between  France  and  England.  An 

earthquake  at  Antioch. 

1171.  The  island  of  Chio  taken  by  the  Venetians.  The 

dynasty  of  Fatimites  ends  in  Egypt. 

1172.  Henry  II.  of  England  takes  possession  of  Ireland. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


115 


A.  J. 

1173.  Catania  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

1174.  William  acknowledges  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  a 

fief  of  the  crown  of  England. 

1176.  Frederic  defeated  by  the  Milanese.  Circuits  estab- 

lished in  England.  Zenghis-khan  begins  to  reign. 

1177.  Saladin  defeated  by  Baldwin  before  Jerusalem. 

1178.  A legate  sent  by  the  pope  to  Prester-John. 

1179.  Saladin  defeats  the  crusaders.  Becket’s  tomb  in  Eng- 

land visited  by  the  French  king.  The  university  of 
Padua  found. 

1180.  Glass  commonly  used  in  England. 

1181.  The  laws  of  England  digested  by  Glanville. 

1182.  Damascus  taken  by  Saladin. 

1183.  The  inhabitants  of  Berry  massacre  7000  Albigenses. 

Peter  of  Blois,  the  historian,  ob.  1200. 

1184.  Andronicus  murders  the  Latins  in  Constantinople. 

1186.  The  Roman  yoke  thrown  off  by  the  Bulgarians.  A 

conjunction  of  all  the  planets  happened  on  Sept. 
16th,  at  sunrise,  sun  in  n#  30°,  Jupiter  in  — 2°  3', 
Venus,  in  3°  49',  Saturn  in  8°  6',  Mercury  in  4°  10', 
Mars  in  9°  8',  tail  of  the  Dragon  18°  23'  — . 

1187.  The  kingdom  of  Jerusalem  finished  by  the  capture  of 

that  city  by  Saladin,  Oct.  2d.  Saladin,  the  Saracen 
monarch,  was  a great  and  generous  prince.  Having 
made  himself  master  of  Syria,  Arabia,  Mesopotamia, 
and  Persia,  he  soon  threatened  Jerusalem,  which 
was  weakened  by  dissension,  as  it  had  been  polluted 
by  the  abominations  of  the  crusaders.  Jerusalem 
surrendered  at  discretion  to  Saladin,  who,  instead  of 
imitating  the  cruelties  which  had  formerly  been  per- 
petrated by  the  Christians,  treated  them  with  great 
humanity,  dismissing  great  numbers  of  prisoners 
without  ransom,  among  whom  was  Guy  de  Lusignan, 
their  leader,  after  he  had  sworn  never  again  to  take 
up  arms  against  him ; which  oath,  with  the  permis- 
sion of  the  bishops,  he  afterwards  violated,  as  they 
did  not  hold  to  keeping  faith  with  heretics. 

1188.  The  third  crusade  fixed  at  the  diet  of  Mayence.  The 

Saracens  routed  by  the  Dutch  and  Zealanders. 
Mecklenburg  held  as  a fief  of  the  crown  of  Denmark. 

1189.  The  kings  of  England  and  France  go  to  the  Holy 

Land.  Richard  renounces  his  superiority  over  Scot- 


116 
A.  D, 


CHRONOLOGY 


land.  Philip  Augustus  of  France,  Richard  I.,  sur- 
named  the  lion-hearted,  of  England,  and  Frederic 
Barbarossa  of  Germany,  lead  the  crusaders.  The 
two  former  were  ambitious  rivals,  and  quarrelled 
by  the  way.  The  Christian  army  consisted  of  about 
300,000  men,  but  their  success  was  prevented  by 
their  divisions  and  jealousies.  They  attacked  Acre, 
which,  after  a three  years’  siege,  capitulated.  Philip 
Augustus,  jealous  of  Richard,  and  tired  of  the  fruit- 
less expedition,  retired  with  the  greater  part  of  his 
soldiers  to  France;  but  Richard  continued  the  con- 
test with  great  valor  and  perseverance.  After  de- 
feating Saladin,  he  concluded  with  him  a truce  of 
three  years,  that  he  might  return  to  Europe.  Philip 
Augustus  was  preparing  to  take  advantage  of  his 
rival’s  absence,  who  having  been  shipwrecked  on  his 
return,  and  crossing  Germany  in  the  guise  of  a pil- 
grim, was  taken  prisoner  by  the  duke  of  Austria, 
whom  he  had  offended  at  the  siege  of  Acre,  and 
was  given  up  for  a sum  of  money  to  the  emperor 
Henry  VI.,  who  kept  him  15  months  in  prison,  and 
demanded  and  received  150  thousand  marks  of  silver 
for  his  ransom.  The  hero  of  the  crusade  was  treated 
as  a freebooter  ! 

1190.  Cilicia  subdued  by  Frederic,  who  defeats  the  Sara- 

cens. The  Teutonic  order  of  knights  instituted  at 
Ptolemais.  Others  place  it  in  1164. 

1191.  Ptolemais  taken  by  the  Crusaders. 

1192.  Richard,  king  of  England,  made  prisoner  by  the  em- 

peror Henry  VI.  Saladin  defeated  by  Richard  in 
the  battle  of  Ascalon.  Roger  de  Hoveden,  the  his- 
torian. 

1195.  Spain  invaded  by  the  Saracens  from  Africa,  who  de- 

feat Alphonso,  and  kill  50,000  Spaniards. 

1196.  Naples  and  Sicily  taken  possession  of  by  the  emperor 

Henry  VI. 

1197.  Henry  sends  an  army  into  Palestine.  William  of 

Newburgh,  the  historian. 

1198.  The  order  of  the  Holy  Trinity  instituted. 

1199.  Peace  between  England  and  France.  Companus,  of 

Lombardy,  the  astronomer. 

1200.  University  of  Salamanca  founded  by  Alphonso  IX. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


117 


A.  D. 

William,  king  of  Scotland,  does  homage  at  Lincoln 
to  the  king  of  England,  Nov.  21.  A very  large 
comet  appeared.  It  moved  over  2 signs  in  18  days. 

Thirteenth  Century. 

1201.  City  of  Riga  founded.  War  between  England  and 

France. 

1202.  Gervase  of  Canterbury,  the  historian. 

1203.  The  3d  crusade  under  Boniface  sets  out  from  Venice, 

and  reaches  Chalcedon  24th  June. 

1204.  The  Venetians  and  French  take  Constantinople.  Nor- 

mandy  reunited  to  France.  The  Inquisition  estab- 
lished. 

1205.  The  Bulgarians  defeat  Baldwin  near  Adrianople. 

1207.  Rouen  and  Falaise  erected  into  corporations. 

1208.  The  order  of  Fratres  Minores  established.  The  pope 

excommunicates  King  John  of  England.  The  reign 
of  John,  who  succeeded  his  brother  Richard,  is  infa- 
mous in  English  history.  He  put  to  death  prince 
Arthur,  who  had  the  hereditary  right  to  the  crown, 
which  greatly  offended  the  nation.  He  became  in- 
volved in  a disastrous  controversy  with  the  pope, 
who  ordered  the  monks  of  Canterbury  to  elect  their 
primate  without  the  king’s  permission.  John,  in  a 
passion,  sent  two  knights  to  expel  the  monks  from 
their  convent,  and  to  take  possession  of  their  re- 
venues. This  caused  the  pontiff  to  lay  the  kingdom 
under  an  interdict.  The  interdict  was  a terrible 
power,  by  which  the  popes,  in  the  middle  ages,  re- 
duced individuals,  and  even  whole  kingdoms,  to  the 
most  abject  submission  to  their  power.  When  the 
interdict  was  laid  on  a kingdom,  all  spiritual  ser- 
vices ceased ; the  churches  were  shut  up ; sacra- 
ments were  no  longer  administered  ; no  corpses  were 
buried  with  funeral  rites  ; and  all  the  ministry  of  the 
church,  which  was  considered  as  the  only  channel 
of  salvation,  was  forbidden  to  be  exercised.  The 
monarch  was  abhorred  by  his  subjects,  and  aban- 
doned by  his  attendants  ; every  thing  wore  the  aspect 
of  the  deepest  distress,  and  the  most  immediate  ap- 
prehension of  divine  vengeance  and  indignation. 


CHRONOLOGY 


118 

A.  I>. 

John  was  thus  compelled  to  make  a degrading  sub 
mission  to  the  pope,  which  greatly  offended  his  barons 
who  took  occasion  to  compel  hifn  to  sign  Magna 
Charta , and  of  the  New  Forest,  at  Runnymede , be- 
tween Windsor  and  Staines,  by  which  the  great 
foundation  of  English  liberty  was  laid.  The  pro- 
visions of  Magna  Charta  enjoined  that  one  weight 
and  one  measure  should  be  used  throughout  the 
kingdom  ; — gave  new  encouragements  to  commerce 
by  the  protection  of  foreign  merchants ; — prohibited 
all  delay  in  the  administration  of  justice  ; — fixed  the 
court  of  Common  Pleas  at  Westminster , that  the  par- 
ties in  a lawsuit  might  no  longer  be  harassed  with 
following  the  king  from  place  to  place  ; — established 
annual  circuits  of  judges;  and  confirmed  the  liber- 
ties of  all  the  cities  and  districts.  It  protected  every 
freeholder  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  life,  liberty,  and 
property.  This  was  the  first  general  opposition  suc- 
cessfully made  against  arbitrary  power,  and  those 
rights  were  acknowledged  and  established  which  the 
English  had  enjoyed  before  the  conquest.  John 
signed  it  with  reluctance,  retracted  it,  and  called 
upon  the  pope  for  protection ; and  nothing  but  the 
fear  of  an  invasion  from  France  reconciled  him  to  it, 
or  induced  the  barons  to  continue  their  allegiance  to 
this  faithless  and  tyrannical  monarch. 

The  power  of  the  interdict  was  felt  in  other  instances, 
and  in  other  kingdoms,  which  were  thus  placed  un- 
der the  entire  control  of  the  Roman  pontiffs. — (The 
last  attempt  at  its  exercise  was  by  Pius  VII.  against 
Napoleon  in  1809,  but  it  was  vain  and  inefficient, 
as  it  is  likely  to  be  in  all  time  to  come.) 

1209.  The  works  of  Aristotle,  imported  in  1209  from  Con- 

stantinople, are  condemned  by  the  council  of  Paris 
in  1210.  The  silk  manufacture  imported  into  Venice 
by  Greek  weavers.  Ralph  de  Diceto,  the  historian. 

1210.  The  Albigenses  violently  persecuted.  The  pope  ex- 

communicates the  emperor  Otho. 

1211.  Wales  subdued  by  the  king  of  England.  Saxo-Gram- 

maticus,  the  historian. 

1212.  The  Moors  signally  defeated  by  the  Christians  at 

Thoulouse,  July  12. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


lid 

A.  D. 

1213.  The  king  of  England  becomes  the  pope’s  vassal, 

Walter  of  Coventry. 

1214.  War  between  the  English  and  Scotch.  Otho  routed 

by  Philip  near  Bouvines.  The  Persians  defeated 
by  the  Turks.  A comet  appeared  in  March. 

1215.  The  order  of  Dominicans  instituted.  A comet  ap- 

peared in  March.  The  order  of  Knights-Hospitallers 
founded.  Magna  Charta  signed  by  King  John,  June 
15th. 

1216.  Scotland  excommunicated  by  the  pope’s  nuncio.  Pe- 

ter de  Courtenay  imprisoned.  Accorso,  ob.  1229. 

1217.  Peace  between  the  English  and  Scotch.  The  French 

defeated  in  the  battle  of  Lincoln.  A comet  in  autumn 
near  the  Crown. 

1219.  Damietta  taken  from  the  Saracens  by  the  Christians. 

1220.  Astronomy  and  geography  brought  into  Europe  by 

the  Moors. 

1221.  The  university  of  Padua  enlarged.  St.  Anthony  of 

Padua,  ob.  1231. 

1222.  A great  earthquake  in  Germany.  Damietta  evacuated 

by  the  Christians. 

1223.  The  slaves  in  France  franchised  by  Louis  VIII.  An 

extraordinary  comet  appeared  in  Denmark.  A comet 
appeared  in  the  East.  John  de  Sacrobosco,  a ma- 
thematician of  Halifax,  in  Yorkshire,  ob.  at  Paris, 
1244. 

1226.  The  king  of  France,  &c.,  leagues  against  the  Albi- 

genses. 

1227.  A general  expedition  from  the  different  states  of  Eu- 

rope to  Palestine.  The  Tartars,  under  Zenghis- 
khan,  overrun  the  empire  of  the  Saracens. 

1228.  University  of  Thoulouse  founded. 

1229.  A treaty  between  the  Christians  and  Saracens.  A 

conspiracy  in  Sweden.  Alexander  Halensis,  ob.  1245. 

1230.  Denmark  desolated  by  the  plague.  The  Teutonic 

knights  subdue  Prussia.  Several  persons  murdered 
in  the  university  of  Paris,  in  consequence  of  the  dis- 
putes about  Aristotle.  A comet  appeared. 

1231.  The  Almagest  of  Ptolemy  translated  into  Latin. 

1232.  William,  bishop  of  Paris,  ob.  1248. 

1233.  The  Dominicans  intrusted  with  the  Inquisition.  Order 

of  the  knights  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  instituted. 


120 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1234.  Peter  de  Vignes,  chancellor  to  Fred.  II.,  ob.  1249. 
1236.  The  Tartars  first  penetrate  into  Russia,  Poland,  &c. 

1238.  University  of  Vienna  founded.  The  Tartars  exact  a 

tribute  from  the  Russians.  A comet  which  moved 
with  great  velocity. 

1239.  The  Guelphs  and  Ghibelines  continue  to  desolate  Italy. 

1240.  The  king  of  Denmark  published  a code  of  ancient 

Cimbrian  laws.  Poland  and  Hungary  invaded  by 
the  Tartars.  A large  comet  appeared  east  of  the 
Pole. 

1241.  The  Swedes  and  Livonians  defeated  by  the  Russians 

near  Narva.  The  Hanseatic  league  formed.  The 
Hanseatic  League  was  a celebrated  confederacy  of 
cities  on  the  coasts  of  the  Baltic  and  the  adjoining 
countries.  The  first  league  was  formed  in  1239, 
between  Hamburgh,  Minden,  and  many  other  towns, 
to  which  Lubec  soon  after  acceded : it  was  for  the 
purpose  of  mutual  defence  against  foreign  potentates, 
especially  the  Danish  king  Waldemar,  as  well  as 
the  neighboring  nobles  of  Germany.  The  league 
rapidly  spread,  and  comprehended  at  one  period  85 
cities,  divided  into  four  provinces.  It  had  four  chief 
foreign  depots — at  London,  Bruges,  Novogorod,  and 
Bergen.  In  the  14th  and  15th  centuries  the  league 
became  of  high  political  importance,  and  made  war 
and  peace  as  an  independent  sovereign  power,  but  it 
was  never  recognised  by  the  German  empire.  Its 
decay  was  gradual,  and  owing  to  the  increased 
protection  given  to  commerce  by  the  princes  of  the 
several  states  in  which  these  cities  were  situated, 
rendering  the  alliance  for  mutual  defence  unneces- 
sary. Tin  mines  discovered  in  Germany.  A comet 
in  January,  seen  30  days.  Matthieu  Paris  the  his- 
torian, ob.  1259. 

1242.  A plague  in  France,  Italy,  and  Greece.  Grosteste, 

bishop  of  Lincoln,  ob.  1254. 

1244.  Jerusalem  taken  by  the  Kharismians,  who  defeat  the 

Christians.  The  order  of  the  Celestines  instituted. 

1245.  The  general  council  of  Lyons  for  renewing  the  cru- 

sades. A large  comet  appeared. 

1248.  The  5th  crusade  under  Lewis  IX.  This  was  the  last 
of  the  crusades  undertaken  against  Palestine.  In 


A.  B. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


121 


the  course  of  these  fanatical  expeditions,  which  con- 
tinued for  about  two  centuries,  some  of  which  were 
against  Christians  in  the  Eastern  empire,  and  issued 
in  the  capture  of  Constantinople,  and  others  against 
the  Albigenses  and  Waldenses  in  Europe;  it  is 
estimated  that  two  millions  of  Europeans  were  buried 
in  the  East,  and  many  who  survived  became  blended 
with  the  Mahometan  population.  Though  these  bar- 
barous expeditions  were  productive  of  great  misery, 
they  had  a powerful  and  beneficial  influence  on  the 
manners  and  customs,  the  commerce,  the  literature, 
and  the  religion  of  Christendom.  They  gave  a se- 
vere blow  to  the  feudal  system,  and  served  to  dimin- 
ish  the  confidence  of  Europe  in  the  promoters  of 
these  undertakings,  and  to  free  the  human  mind 
from  the  shackles  of  superstition. 

1249.  Damietta  taken  by  Lewis  IX.,  June  5. 

1250.  Lewis  taken  prisoner  in  Egypt.  Cimabue  revives 

painting  in  Florence,  ob.  1300.  The  Sorbonne 
founded  in  Paris. 

1251.  Wales  subdued,  and  Magna  Charta  confirmed. 

1252.  Alphonso  of  Spain  found  the  sun’s  apogee  in  EL  28f' 

40'.  Albertus  Magnus,  ob.  1280,  set.  75. 

1253.  The  Alphonsine  tables  published.  Linen  first  made 

in  England. 

1254.  War  between  Denmark  and  Sweden.  A comet  seen 

for  several  months.  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  ob.  1274* 

1255.  A large  comet  appeared. 

1256.  The  order  of  the  Augustines  established. 

1257.  St.  Bonaventura,  ob.  1274,  set.  53. 

1258.  The  capture  of  Bagdad  by  the  Tartars  terminates  the 

empire  of  the  Saracens.  Treaty  of  Barcelona.  Re- 
presentatives of  the  Commons  of  England  present 
for  the  first  time  in  parliament.  Blair  places  this  in 
1264.  John  de  Joinville. 

1259.  Treaty  of  Abbeville.  The  Tartars  invade  Poland.  Nas- 

sar  Eddin,  theJPersian  astronomer  and  geographer. 

1260.  Alphonso  of  Spain  orders  all  public  records  to  be  writ- 

ten in  the  vulgar  tongue,  not  in  Latin  ; and  publishes 
the  code  of  laws  called  Las  Partidas. 

1261.  Constantinople  recovered  from  the  French  by  the 

Greek  emperors.  Roger  Bacon,  ob.  1284,  set.  78. 
11 


122  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

1263.  The  Hebrides  invaded  by  the  Norwegians.  Civil 

wars  in  England. 

1264.  Henry  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Lewes.  The 

deputies  of  towns  and  boroughs  summoned  to  parlia- 
ment. (Playfair.)  A comet  with  a long  tail  ap- 
peared. 

1265.  The  battle  of  Evesham  in  England,  Aug.  4. 

1266.  The  battle  of  Benevento,  where  Mainfroi  is  killed, 

Feb.  26.  Peace  between  Norway  and  Scotland. 

1267.  Police  established  at  Paris  about  this  time. 

3 268.  Antioch  taken  by  the  Mussulmans.  Conradin  taken 
at  the  battle  of  Celano,  in  Italy,  and  afterwards  be- 
headed, Aug.  29th.  The  Tartars  invade  China. 

1269.  Cozah  Nasirodni  observed  the  obliquity  of  the  ecliptic 

to  be  23°  30'. 

1270.  Louis  IX.  embarks  at  Aigues-Mortes  for  Palestine. 

Bulgaria  reduced  by  the  king  of  Plungary.  The 
Scots  guard  embodied  in  France. 

1272.  The  academy  of  Florence  founded.  The  orders  of 

Mendicants  reduced  to  the  Dominicans,  Franciscans, 
Carmelites,  and  Hermits  of  St.  Augustin. 

1273.  The  empire  of  Austria  begins.  Cheouching,  in  China, 

observed  the  obliquity  of  the  ecliptic  to  be  23°  33' 
39//. 

1274.  First  treaty  of  commerce  between  England  and  Flan- 

ders. 

1275.  Durandus,  ob.  1296. 

1277.  The  sultan  of  Egypt  defeats  the  Tartars  near  Damas- 
cus. 

1279.  Edward  relinquishes  his  claim  upon  Normandy.  The 

mortmain  act  passed  in  England.  Henry  of  Ghent, 
ob.  1293,  set.  76. 

1280.  The  Tartars  defeated  near  Emessa  by  the  sultan  of 

Egypt. 

1281.  Marienburg  built  by  the  Teutonic  Knights. 

1282.  Ten  thousand  French  massacred  at  the  Sicilian  ves- 

pers, March  20.  A great  plague  in  Denmark.  The 
academy  della  Crusca  founded. 

1283.  Wales  subjugated,  and  united  to  England  by  Edward 

I.  During  his  residence  with  his  wife  in  Wales,  a 
prince  was  born,  who  was  afterwards  Edward  II. ; 
and  at  his  birth  was  called  Edward  Prince  of  Wales, 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


123 


A.  D. 

which  has  since  been  the  title  of  the  eldest  son  of  the 
kings  of  England.  A new  separation  between  the 
Latin  and  Greek  churches.  Raymond  Lully,  ob. 
1315,  set.  80. 

1285.  Hungary  ravaged  by  the  Tartars.  Alphonso  of  Ara- 

gon deprives  his  uncle  of  Majorca.  Jacobus  de 
Voragine,  ob.  1298. 

1286.  Eric  V.,  king  of  Denmark,  assassinated  near  Yibourg. 

A comet  appeared  with  its  tail  to  the  east. 

1287.  A clock  at  Westminster  about  this  time.  The  Tar- 

tars penetrate  into  Poland. 

1288.  Tripoli  taken  by  the  sultan  of  Babylon. 

1289.  A great  earthquake  in  Europe.  Albert  the  mathema- 

tician and  Provencal  poet. 

1090.  The  Jews  banished  from  England.  University  of 
Lisbon  founded. 

1291.  Syria  conquered  by  the  sultan  of  Babylon.  Compe- 
tition between  Bruce  and  Baliol  for  the  crown  of 
Scotland.  The  Turks  take  Ptolemais  by  assault. 
The  crusades  terminate.  John  Duns,  called  Scotus, 
ob.  1308,  set.  43. 

1293.  From  this  year  there  is  a regular  succession  of  parlia- 

ments in  England.  A comet  appeared  in  summer. 

1294.  Parliaments  established  in  Paris. 

1296.  A war  between  the  English  and  Scotch.  An  intense 

frost  in  Denmark. 

1297.  Edward  carries  off  the  coronation  chair,  and  records 

of  Scotland. 

1298.  The  Ottoman  empire  founded.  A large  comet  ap- 

peared. 

1299.  An  earthquake  in  Germany.  A comet  appeared.  A 

monk  of  Pisa  invents  spectacles.  Boniface  VIII. 
institutes  the  year  of  jubilee  at  Rome.  Faenzas 
earthenware  invented. 

1300.  The  Ottoman  empire  begins.  Scotland  invaded  by 

Edward. 

Fourteenth  Century. 

1301.  Philip  excommunicated  by  the  pope.  A comet  ap- 

peared. Peter  de  Abano,  ob.  1316,  set.  66. 

1302.  The  Tartars  defeated  near  Damascus  by  the  sultan 


CHRONOLOGY 


124 

A.  D. 

of  Egypt.  The  mariner’s  compass  invented  (or 
improved)  by  Flavio.  University  of  Avignon  found- 
ed. 

1303.  Three  English  armies  defeated  by  the  Scots  in  one 

day,  near  Roslin. 

1304.  A comet  visible  for  three  months  to  the  north.  Dante, 

ob.  1321,  set.  56. 

1306.  The  Jews  banished,  from  France.  Edward  invades 

Scotland,  which  is  defended  by  Bruce.  Arnoldus 
de  Villa  Nova,  ob.  1340. 

1307.  Coals  first  used  in  England.  The  Swiss  cantons 

established. 

1308.  University  of  Lisbon  removed  to  Coimbra.  The  seat 

of  the  popes  removed  to  Avignon  for  70  years. 

1310.  Rhodes  taken  by  the  knights  of  St.  John,  who  settle 
there. 

1312.  The  council  of  Vienna  abolishes  the  order  of  Knights 

Templars.  University  of  Orleans  founded.  A comet 
appeared.  Durandus,  ob.  1333. 

1313.  Molay,  the  grand  master  of  the  Templars,  burned 

alive  at  Paris,  along  with  several  of  the  knights. 

1314.  The  cardinals  set  fire  to  the  conclave,  and  separate. 

The  battle  of  Bannockburn,  in  which  the  English 
are  completely  beaten  by  the  Scots,  July  25. 

1315.  Germany  afflicted  with  famine  and  pestilence.  The 

Scots  invade  Ireland.  A comet  appeared  in  De- 
cember, near  the  north  pole. 

1316.  A comet  appeared  in  February.  This  comet  is  not 

mentioned  either  by  Lubiniezki  or  Hevelius. 

1317.  Nicholas  de  Lyra,  ob.  1340. 

1318.  A comet  appeared  in  Cancer.  A great  famine  in 

Britain. 

L319.  University  of  Dublin  founded.  William  Occam,  ob. 
1343. 

1320.  An  earthquake  in  England.  Gold  coined  in  Europe. 

1321.  A civil  war  in  England. 

1322.  The  battle  of  Muldorf,  at  which  Frederick  III.  was 

taken  prisoner. 

1323.  A truce  of  13  years  between  the  English  and  Scotch. 

A great  eruption  of  .Etna. 

1325.  The  first  commercial  treaty  between  England  and 
Venice, 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


125 


A.  D. 

1326.  Queen  Isabella  brings  an  army  into  England  against 

her  husband,  Edward  III. 

1327.  Edward  II.  deposed  by  the  English  parliament. 

1329.  Philip  defeats  the  Flemings  at  the  battle  of  Mount 

Cassel. 

1330.  Gunpowder  invented  by  a monk  of  Cologne. 

1331.  The  city  of  Nice  taken  and  plundered  by  the  Turks. 

The  Teutonic  knights  settle  in  Prussia.  The  art  of 
weaving  cloth  introduced  into  York  by  two  Brabant 
weavers. 

1332.  Silesia  seized  upon  by  the  king  of  Poland.  The  pope 

charged  with  heresy.  Nicephoras  Gregoras  the 
astronomer  and  historian,  ob.  1350. 

1333.  Gibraltar  taken  by  the  Moors.  The  Scots  defeated 

near  Berwick,  July  19. 

1337.  Edward  III.  makes  war  with  Frahce.  He  sets  sail 

with  his  army  July  15.  A comet  appeared. 

1338.  The  empire  of  Germany  declared-independent  of  the 

pope.  Edward  makes  war  upon  France. 

1339.  The  academy  of  Pisa  established,  y A comet  appeared. 

Denmark  desolated  by  war*  pestilence,  and  famine. 

1340.  Edward  III.  defeats  the  French  in  a naval  battle  near 

Helvoetsluys,  which  leads  to  a pdace  of  four  years. 
Copper  money  first  used  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 

1341.  The  eastern  empire  usurped  by  Oa'ntacuzenus  for  17 

years.  A comet  appeared  in.  ~ in  the  spring.  It 
was  first  seen  near  Spica  Yirgihis,  moved  through  5 
degrees  every  day,  and  disappeared  near  SI. 

1342.  Powder  used  at  the  siege  of -Algiers.  Edward’s  ex- 

pedition to  the  Continent.  The  knights  and  bur- 
gesses first  assembled  together  in  the  same  house  of 
the  English  parliament. 

1343.  Leontius  Pilatus  of  Thessalonica,  restorer  of  Greek 

literature  in  Italy,  flourished. 

1344.  Macham,  an  Englishman,  discovers  the  Madeira  isl- 

ands. Gold  eoinecHn  England.  Poland  invaded  by 
the  Tartars.*  ^ 

1346.  The  battle  of  Cressy,  Aug.  26.  The  English  defeat 

the  Scots,  and  take  David  prisoner. 

1347.  A comet  appeared  in  August,  and  was  seen  two  months. 

The  plague  ravages  Europe,  and  is  said  to  carry  off 
one  fourth  of  the  inhabitants.  The  admiralty  court 
11* 


126 
A.  D, 


CHRONOLOGY 


instituted.  Calais  taken  by  Edward,  Aug.  4.  After 
the  battle  of  Cressy,  Edward  III.,  to  maintain  him- 
self in  Picardy,  found  it  necessary  to  gain  possession 
of  Calais,  and  he  marched  against  the  town.  The 
besieged,  under  the  command  of  John  de  Vienne, 
defended  themselves  for  eleven  months  with  the 
most  heroic  courage,  but  were  at  length  forced  to 
sue  for  a capitulation.  The  English  monarch  de- 
manded that  they  should  yield  at  discretion,  and 
ultimately  exacted  that  six  of  the  leading  inhabitants 
of  the  place  should  present  themselves  before  him 
with  ropes  around  their  necks,  bearing  the  keys  of 
the  city.  Five  bold  inhabitants  of  the  city,  with 
Eustace  de  St.  Pierre  at  their  head,  accordingly  re- 
paired to  the  English  camp,  and  were  on  the  point 
of  being  beheaded,  but  were  saved  by  the  interces- 
sion of  Edward  the  Black  Prince,  the  heroic  son  of 
Edward.  His  mother  also,  the  queen  of  Edward, 
throwing  herself  at  his  feet,  by  her  supplications  dis- 
armed his  rage,  and  those  noble  hostages  were  dis- 
missed without  punishment.  Edward  the  Black 
Prince,  a brave  man,  knew  how  to  feel  for  those 
whose  only  crime  was  an  heroic  resistance  of  inva- 
sion. A code  of  laws  published  in  Poland,  and  the 
university  of  Cracow  founded.  Rienzi’s  usurpation 
at  Rome. 

1348.  The  university  of  Prague  founded. 

1349.  The  order  of  the  Garter  instituted  in  England,  April 

23.  A plague  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland, 
and  other  parts  of  Europe. 

1350.  The  Jubilee  fixed  to  every  fiftieth  year. 

1351.  Wire  invented  at  Nuremberg. 

1352.  First  irruption  of  the  Turks  into  Europe. 

1353.  Africa  and  Asia  desolated  by  locusts.  A comet  ap- 

peared, and  moved  from  north  to  south. 

1354.  Francis  Petrarch  flourished,  ob.  1374,  set.  76. 

1355.  A conspiracy  at  Venice.  Boccaccio,  ob.  1376,  set.  62. 

1356.  Battle  of  Poitiers,  at  which  the  French  are  defeated, 

and  King  John  taken  prisoner,  Sept.  19.  Edward 
the  Black  Prince,  so  called  from  the  color  of  his 
armor,  with  an  army  of  12,000  men,  was  sent  into 
France,  and  carried  devastation  into  the  heart  of  the 


OF  THE  WORLD.  127 

A.  D. 

kingdom.  John  king  of  France  took  the  field  againsJ 
him  with  60,000  men,  and  advanced  towards  Poitiers, 
with  the  design  of  surrounding  him  and  cutting  him 
off  at  once.  The  French  marched  to  the  attack 
through  a lane,  and  the  Black  Prince  with  a small 
force  opposed  them  in  front,  while  his  main  body 
divided  into  two  parts,  one  of  which  lay  in  ambus- 
cade, poured  down  upon  their  lengthened  flank,  cut 
them  to  pieces,  and  gained  a complete  victory. 
John,  with  one  of  his  sons,  was  taken,  and  was  treated 
by  the  Prince  of  Wales  with  a magnanimity  equal 
to  his  heroism.  When  he  conducted  his  royal  pris- 
oner in  triumph  to  London,  amid  the  acclamations 
of  the  people,  he  rode  himself  on  a small  palfrey  on 
his  left  hand,  while  John,  on  his  right  hand,  was 
mounted  on  a beautiful  horse  elegantly  caparisoned. 
John  was  at  length  sent  back  to  France,  having 
promised  a large  sum  for  his  ransom,  which  being 
unable  to  raise,  he  returned  and  surrendered  him- 
self a prisoner  in  London,  with  a remarkable  regard 
for  good  faith.  He  is  also  said  to  have  been  smitten 
with  a strong  passion  for  the  beautiful  Countess  of 
Salisbury  in  England,  which  might  have  influenced 
his  return.  He  died  soon  after  in  London.  An 
earthquake  in  Germany. 

1357.  Great  commotion  in  France. 

1358.  Tamerlane  commences  his  reign  in  Persia.  Treaty 

of  Calais  signed,  Oct.  24. 

1359.  Treaty  of  Bretagne,  May  8. 

1361.  Matthew  of  Westminster,  ob.  about  1380. 

1362.  Law  pleadings  in  England  carried  on  in  English  in- 

stead of  French.  Military  order  of  Janizaries  estab-. 
lished  among  the  Turks.  A comet  appeared  near 
Yenus. 

1364.  Battle  of  Cocherel,  May  6,  and  of  Avrai,  Sept.  29. 

1365.  The  universities  of  Geneva  and  of  Vienna  founded. 

1366.  Adrianople  becomes  the  seat  of  the  Turkish  empire. 

1367.  The  battle  of  Neiara  in  Spain,  April  4. 

1368.  The  battle  of  Montial,  March  14. 

1369.  Wicklifle  teaches  the  doctrine  of  the  Reformation  in 

England,  ob.  1385.  John  de  Wicklifle  was  a pro- 
fessor of  divinity  in  the  university  of  Oxford.  He 


CHRONOLOGY 


128 

A.  ] 

came  out  boldly  against  the  errors  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  and  has  been  denominated  “the  morning  star 
of  the  Reformation.55  He  translated  the  Scriptures 
from  the  Latin  Vulgate  into  English;  was  prose- 
cuted for  heresy,  but  being  supported  by  several 
noblemen,  he  escaped  punishment.  His  followers 
were  called,  by  way  of  reproach,  Lollards,  a pious 
sect  which  before  originated  in  Germany. 

1370.  Chivalry  flourished  about  this  time.  Chivalry  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  most  remarkable  features  of  the 
state  of  society  in  the  European  nations  in  the  mid- 
dle ages,  and  produced  a wonderful  influence  upon 
their  opinions,  habits,  and  manners.  Its  distinguish- 
ing characteristics  were  a romantic  spirit  of  adven- 
ture, a love  of  arms  and  the  rewards  of  valor,  an 
eagerness  to  succor  the  distressed  and  to  redress 
wrongs,  high  sentiments  of  honor  and  religion,  and  a 
devoted  and  respectful  attachment  to  the  female  sex. 
It  is  supposed  to  have  had  its  origin  among  the  Gothic 
nations  and  their  descendants,  and  prevailed  particu- 
larly in  France,  Spain,  and  Germany.  The  Romans 
never  possessed  those  materials  in  character  out  of 
which  such  an  institution  could  be  constructed ; 
they  had  pride,  but  not  that  delicate  sense  of  honor 
which  leads  men  to  prize  their  own  esteem  more 
than  the  applause  of  the  world,  and  which  is  never 
associated  with  meanness ; and  particularly  that 
high  regard  to  the  female  sex  which  considers  them 
as  equals,  and,  from  their  feebleness  and  delicacy, 
as  the  peculiar  objects  of  protection  and  respect.  It 
existed  in  its  greatest  perfection  in  England  in  the 
time  of  Edward  III. 

The  sons  of  noblemen  who  were  destined  for  chivalry, 
entered  at  the  age  of  seven  years  on  their  course  of 
education,  in  some  castle,  surrounded  by  noble  ladies 
and  valiant  knights,  and  the  first  impressions  made 
upon  their  minds  were  those  of  love,  gallantry,  honor, 
and  bravery.  From  7 to  14  years,  the  appellation 
given  to  these  boys  was  page  or  varlet.  At  14  they 
received  the  title  of  esquire , and  were  authorized 
to  carry  arms.  On  arriving  at  the  age  of  21,  the 
esquires,  after  a thorough  examination  in  regard  to 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


129 


A.  D. 

their  qualifications,  were  admitted  to  the  full  honors 
of  knighthood.  They  were  invested  with  the  spurs, 
sword,  and  other  insignia  of  chivalry,  and  were  dubbed 
as  knights  by  receiving  the  accoMde , or  a slight  blow 
on  their  shoulder  or  cheek,  as  an  emblem  of  the  last 
affront  which  it  was  lawful  for  them  to  endure. 
The  knight  then  sallied  forth  in  quest  of  adventures, 
and  was  particularly  authorised  to  challenge  to  single 
combat  all  who  refused  to  acknowledge  the  unparal- 
leled beauty  of  the  mistress  to  whom  he  had  devoted 
himself,  called  his  lady-love.  Kings  and  nobles 
highly  valued  the  honors  of  knighthood ; and  on  the 
eve  of  a bhttle,  the  injunction  was,  “Let  every  one 
think  of  his  mistress.”  Jousts , tilts , and  tournaments , 
were  splendid  exhibitions  of  chivalry,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  royal  marriages,  coronations,  and  after  dis- 
tinguished victories.  They  were  attended  by  valiant 
knights,  noble  barons,  sovereign  princes,  and  ladies 
of  the  highest  rank,  and  were  indeed  most  magnifi- 
cent celebrations.  The  institution  of  chivalry  tended 
to  refine  the  manners  of  a barbarous  age,  to  infuse 
humanity  into  war,  to  promote  a regard  to  truth  and 
justice,  and  especially  to  cherish  a delicate  and  ref 
spectful  attention  to  the  female  sex,  for  which  the 
descendants  of  the  Gothic  nations  have  ever  been 
eminently  distinguished.  But  the  institution  also 
had  its  evils ; it  nourished  a martial  spirit,  and  to  its 
fantastic  notions  of  honor  the  modern  practice  of 
duelling  may  be  traced.  It  was  interwoven  with 
the  feudal  system,  and  declined  with  it. 

1371.  The  English  fleet  defeated  by  the  French  near  Rochelle, 

June  23. 

1372.  Earl  of  Pembroke  defeated  at  sea  by  the  Spanish  ad- 

miral, June  23. 

1373.  Cyprus  taken  by  the  Genoese.  John  Gower,  the  first 

English  poet,  ob.  1402. 

1375.  A peace  of  thre>  years  between  France  and  England. 

1376.  John  Froissart  flourished,  ob.  1400.  John  Froissart  was 

born  at  Valenciennes,  about  1337.  He  is  said  to  have 
begun  before  the  age  of  20  to  write  the  history  of  the 
wars  of  his  time.  A disappointment  in  love,  and  a 
desire  to  learn  from  their  own  mouths  the  achieve- 


130 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


ments  of  his  contemporary  warriors,  induced  him  to 
travel  extensively.  He  first  visited  England,  and 
was  for  a considerable  time  secretary  to  Phillippa, 
the  queen  of  Edward  III.  Subsequently  he  was 
patronised  by  Edward  the  Black  Prince,  and  sev- 
eral other  illustrious  characters.  His  chief  work  is 
a history,  which  comprises  what  happened  in  France, 
Spain,  and  England,  from  1326  to  1400.  He  was 
a poet  as  well  as  an  historian.  His  delightful  Chron- 
icle of  the  middle  ages  has  been  twice  translated  into 
English,  and  recently  reprinted  in  the  city  of  New 
York. 

1377.  England  invaded  by  the  French.  The  seat  of  the 

popes  transferred  from  Avignon  to  Rome.  Clement 
the  seventh  took  up  his  residence  at  Avignon,  where 
he  was  nominated  pope,  although  Urban  the  Sixth 
had  been  recently  elected  at  Rome,  which  gave  rise 
to  the  famous  schism  of  the  West,  which  was  with 
immense  difficulty  subdued,  after  continuing  38  years, 
and  only  terminated  at  the  council  of  Constance. 
Flanders  inundated  by  the  sea.  Wickliffe’s  doctrine 
condemned  in  England. 

1378.  The  schism  of  double  popes,  which  lasts  38  years. 

Greenland  discovered  by  a Venetian. 

1379.  Great  dissensions  in  Flanders. 

1381.  Bills  of  exchange  first  used  in  England.  Pestilence 

in  Germany.  Watt  Tyler’s  insurrection  in  the  be- 
ginning of  July. 

1382.  The  battle  of  Rosebeck  in  Flanders,  Nov.  17.  Pliera- 

polis  taken  by  the  Turks. 

1383.  Cannon  first  used  in  the  English  service  by  the  gov- 

ernor of  Calais.  Abulfeda,  the  Arabian  geographer, 
died. 

1384.  Philip,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  succeeds  to  the  earldom 

of  Flanders.  The  first  navigation  act  in  England. 
War  between  the  English  and  Scotch. 

1385.  Battle  of  Aljubaroba,  at  which  the  King  of  Castile  is 

routed  by  the  King  of  Portugal,  August  14.  Ni- 
cholas Flamel,  ob.  1409. 

1386.  Constantinople  taken  by  Andronicus  Paleologus ; re- 

taken by  John  and  Manuel.  The  first  company  of 
linen-weavers  in  England. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


131 


A.  D. 

1387.  Tamerlane  subdues  Georgia  and  Turkestan. 

1388.  Battle  of  Otterburn,  at  which  the  English  are  defeated 

by  the  Scotch,  July  31.  Margaret  of  Denmark  de- 
feats the  Swedes  at  Falcoping,  Sept.  21.  Union  of 
the  Danish  and  Swedish  crowns. 

1390.  The  sacred  war  in  Prussia. 

1391.  Cards  invented  for  the  amusement  of  the  French  king. 

The  English  parliament  abolishes  the  papal  power. 
Commotions  in  Scotland. 

1392.  Jews  expelled  from  Germany.  The  Portuguese  dis- 

cover the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Emanuel  Chrysolo- 
ras,  ob.  1413,  set.  60. 

1393.  The  Turks  ravage  Wallaehia,  and  defeat  the  Hunga- 

rians. The  doctrines  of  the  Reformation  propagated 
in  Bohemia  by  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague. 

1394.  The  Jews  expelled  from  France,  Sept.  17.  A comet 

appeared  in  the  evening,  and  moved  from  west  to 
north. 

1395.  The  Christians,  under  Sigismund,  defeated  at  Nicopo- 

lis  by  Bajazet,  Sept.  28,  who  also  subdues  the  Bul- 
garians. 

1396.  Geoffrey  Chaucer,  the  English  poet,  ob.  1440. 

1397.  The  union  of  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Norway,  at  Cal- 

mar.  Owen  Glendower,  ob.  about  1408. 

1398.  A rebellion  in  Ireland.  Dukes  created  in  Scotland. 

Tamerlane  penetrates  into  Hindostan.  Intense  frost 
in  Denmark. 

1399.  Tamerlane  takes  Delhi,  and  afterwards  takes  No- 

vogorod. 

1400.  War  between  the  English  and  Scotch.  Tamerlane, 

with  a great  army,  enters  Asia  Minor.  A large 
comet  appears  in  February,  moving  towards  the  west. 

Fifteenth  Century. 

1401.  Italy  invaded  by  the  emperor  Rupert,  who  is  repulsed. 

Tamerlane  bakes  Bagdad,  Aug.  9th.  A very  large 
comet  appeared. 

1402.  Battle  of  Angoria,  at  which  Bajazet  is  defeated  by 

Tamerlane,  and  taken  prisoner  July  28th.  Tamer- 
lane, or  Timur  Beg,  cham  of  the  Tartars,  became 
formidable  towards  the  end  of  the  14th  century.  He 


132 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


was  the  son  of  a shepherd,  and  raised  himself  by  his 
courage  and  prudence.  He  obtained  many  victories, 
and  boasted  that  he  had  three  parts  of  the  world  un- 
der his  power.  He  subdued  Persia,  India,  Syria, 
and  many  other  countries.  Having  conquered  Ba- 
jazet  I.,  Sultan  of  the  Turks,  he  exposed  him  in  an 
iron  cage,  (the  fate  which  Bajazet  had  designed  for 
his  adversary  if  he  had  been  victor,)  when  the  mor- 
tified monarch  dashed  his  head  against  the  bars  of 
his  prison  and  killed  himself.  Battle  of  Haledown 
hill,  May  7th,  in  which  the  Scottish  forces  were  de- 
feated. 

1403.  The  battle  of  Shrewsbury,  at  which  Hotspur  is  slain, 
July  22d.  A comet  appeared  in  March  with  its  tail 
towards  the  north. 

1405.  Conspiracy  of  Archbishop  of  York  against  Henry  sup- 

pressed. Great  guns  first  used  at  the  siege  of  Ber- 
wick. Famine  and  the  plague  in  Denmark.  Ca- 
nary islands  discovered  by  Bethencourt. 

1406.  A comet  appeared.  Leonard  Aretino,  secretary  of 

Florence,  ob.  1443,  set.  74.  Brunus  of  Arezzo, 
secretary  of  Florence. 

1407.  The  kingdom  of  France  laid  under  an  interdict.  A 

comet  appeared.  Balthazar  Cossa  obtains  possession 
of  Rome. 

1408.  A comet  appeared. 

1409.  The  council  of  Pisa  commences  March  25. 

1410.  Painting  in  oil  color  invented  by  John  Yan-eyck  at 

Bruges.  A civil  war  in  France. 

1411.  The  university  of  St.  Andrews  founded.  War  be- 

tween the  pope  and  king  Ladislaus. 

1412.  Algebra  introduced  into  Europe  from  Arabia. 

1414.  The  council  of  Constance  commences,  Nov.  16th.  A 

comet  appeared. 

1415.  John  Huss  condemned  and  executed,  July  6th.  He 

appeared  at  the  council  of  Constance,  under  the  safe 
conduct  of  the  emperor  of  Germany,  but  faith  was 
not  to  be  kept  with  a heretic.  He  was  condemned 
and  burned.  His  disciple,  Jerome  of  Prague,  a man 
of  superior  abilities,  had  recanted  ; but  animated  by 
the  courage  of  John  Huss,  he  retracted  his  recanta- 
tion, and  was  shortly  after  also  burned,  blessing 


OF  THE  WORLD.  133 

A.  D. 

God.  They  were  both  disciples  of  Wicklifle,  and  had 
testified  against  the  corruptions  of  Popery.  Their 
death  was  avenged  by  Zisca,  a Bohemian  nobleman, 
making  war  upon  the  Emperor  Sigismund,  who  was 
compelled  to  make  peace  with  him.  Zisca  died  of 
the  plague  in  1424,  and  left  directions,  as  it  is  said, 
that  a drum  should  be  made  of  his  dried  skin  for  the 
purpose  of  animating  the  reformers,  and  of  appalling 
their  enemies.  Normandy  invaded  by  Henry  of 
England.  Battle  of  Agincourt,  Oct.  25th,  at  which 
the  French  are  routed  by  the  English. 

1416.  The  French  fleet  defeated  by  the  English  at  the  mouth 

of  the  Seine.  Jerome  of  Prague  dies. 

1417.  Henry’s  second  expedition  into  Normandy.  Paper 

made  of  linen  rags  invented.  According  to  others, 
about  1100. 

1418.  The  Armagnac  faction  massacred  in  Paris.  Poggio, 

the  Florentine,  ob.  1459,  set.  80. 

1420.  The  treaty  of  Troyes  signed,  May  21.  Madeira  dis- 

covered by  the  Portuguese. 

1421.  The  Duke  of  Clarence  is  killed  at  the  battle  of  Beauge, 

April  3. 

1422.  The  vulgar  Christian  sera  introduced  into  Portugal. 

1423.  Engraving  on  metal,  and  rolling  press  printing,  in- 

vented. Battle  of  Crevant,  in  which  the  French  and 
Scots  are  defeated  by  the  English. 

1424.  The  English  under  the  Duke  of  Bedford  defeat  the 

French  in  the  battle  of  Verneuil,  Aug.  16.  Flavius 
Blondus,  ob.  1463,  set.  75. 

1426.  An  earthquake  at  Naples.  A comet  appeared. 

1427.  The  academy  of  Louvain  founded.  Theodore  Gaza, 

ob.  1478,  set.  90. 

1428.  The  siege  of  Orleans  begins,  Oct.  12,  and  continued 

to  May  12th.  Joan  d’Arc,  commonly  called  the 
Maid  of  Orleans,  presented  herself  before  the  king 
of  France,  and  stated  that  she  was  commissioned  by 
God  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans.  This  extraordi- 
nary young  woman  was  then  not  18  years  of  age, 
and  introduced  succours  into  the  place,  and  finally 
conducted  Charles  VII.  to  Rheims,  where  he  was 
crowned.  After  performing  prodigies  of  valor,  she 
was  at  last  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
12 


134  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

who  cruelly  condemned  her  to  the  flames  in  Rouen, 
June  14th,  1431.  She  suffered  under  the  charge  of 
witchcraft. 

1429.  The  battle  of  Herrings,  Feb.  12th.  Battle  of  Patay. 
Francis  Philelphus,  ob.  1481,  set.  83. 

1431.  A great  earthquake  at  Lisbon.  Henry,  king  of  Eng- 

land, crowned  king  of  France.  Geo.  Trapezuntius, 
ob.  1485,  set.  90. 

1432.  A comet  appeared. 

1433.  A very  large  comet  appeared  for  three  months.  G. 

Gemistius  Pletho,  ob.  1490,  set.  100. 

1434.  A civil  war  in  Sweden.  Cosmo  de  Medici  recalled 

from  exile.  A comet  appeared. 

1435.  The  treaty  of  Arras  between  Charles  II.  and  the  duke 

of  Burgundy.  A comet  appeared. 

1436.  Paris  retaken  by  the  French,  April  13th.  Laurentius 

Valla,  ob.  1465,  set.  50. 

1437.  An  expedition  of  the  Portuguese  into  Africa.  Hun- 

gary invaded  by  the  Turks.  Ulugh  Beigh  observed 
the  obliquity  of  the  ecliptic  to  be  23°  30'  17"  : ob. 
1449,  set.  57. 

1438.  A shower  of  meteoric  stones  fell  at  Rou,  near  Burgos 

in  Spain. 

1439.  The  Greek  and  Latin  churches  united.  The  Prag- 

matic sanction  settled  in  France.  A comet  appeared 
in  the  east,  with  its  tail  turned  to  the  south. 

1440.  The  art  of  printing  invented  at  Mentz.  Several  cities 

contend  for  the  honor  of  this  invention  ; those  which 
have  the  best  claim  are  Haarlem  and  Mentz.  Lau- 
rence Coster  of  Haarlem  practised  the  art  with  wooden 
types,  or  engraved  boards ; but  the  introduction  of 
moveable  metal  types,  which  was  a grand  improve- 
ment, is  attributed  to  Peter  Schceffer,  the  assistant, 
and  son-in-law  of  John  Fust  or  Faust  of  Mentz.  The 
first  edition  of  “ Speculum  Humana  Salvationist  one 
of  the  earliest  productions  of  the  press,  was  printed 
about  1440,  by  Coster  at  Haarlem.  But  the  cele- 
brated “ Mentz  Bible  without  date,”  the  first  speci- 
men with  metal  types,  was  executed  by  Guttemberg 
and  Fust,  between  the  years  1450  and  1455.  Then 
followed  “the  Psalter”  in  1457,  by  Fust  and  Schoef- 
fer.  Before  the  year  1500,  there  were  printing 


OF  THE  WORLD.  135 

A.  D. 

offices  in  upwards  of  200  places,  and  in  various 
countries.  William  Caxton  is  generally  regarded 
as  the  first  person  who  introduced  the  art  in  England. 
At  first  the  metal  types  were  cut,  but  afterwards 
they  were  cast  in  matrices,  which  was  a still  farther 
improvement.  John  Guttemberg,  ob.  after  1480. 

1441.  Siege  of  Pontoise.  John  Faustus,  ob.  about  1466. 

1442.  The  Turks  invade  Hungary.  Peter  Schoeffer,  ob. 

after  1479. 

1444.  Battle  of  Yarnes  gained  by  the  Turks.  Famine  in 

Sweden.  A comet  appeared  in  Leo.  Truce  be- 
tween  France  and  England  at  Tours,  June  1st. 
Wessblus,  ob.  1489,  set.  70. 

1445.  A comet  appeared. 

1446.  Inundation  at  Dort,  April  17th,  which  drowns  100,000 

persons.  Frederick  declares  war  against  the  Swiss. 

1447.  The  Turks  defeated  by  Scanderbeg  in  22  battles, 

during  several  years. 

1448.  The  house  of  Oldenburgh  begins  to  reign  in  Denmark, 

in  the  person  of  Christiern  I.  The  English  defeated 
by  the  Scotch  at  Sark.  The  crowns  of  Sweden  and 
Denmark  disunited.  Contests  between  the  houses 
of  York  and  Lancaster.  The  Vatican  founded  at 
Rome. 

1449.  War  between  England  and  France.  Ulugh  Beigh 

killed  by  his  sons.  G.  Purbachius,  ob.  1462,  set.  87. 

1450.  University  of  Glasgow  founded  by  Bishop  Turnbull. 

Delft  ware  invented  at  Florence.  A very  large 
comet  appeared  in  summer,  which  eclipsed  the  moon, 
and  moved  from  east  to  west.  The  battle  of  Four- 
migni,  April  18. 

1451.  The  English  evacuate  Rouen.  War  between  Den- 

mark and  Sweden.  iEneas  Sylvius,  Pius  II.,  ob.  1464. 

1452.  Cardinal  Bessarion,  ob.  1472,  set.  77. 

1453.  The  Turks  take  Constantinople,  May  29th.  Maho- 

met II.,  the  Turkish  sultan,  at  the  head  of  300,000 
men,  took  Constantinople,  killed  the  emperor  Con- 
stantine, and  terminated  the  empire  of  the  Greeks, 
after  it  had  continued  2200  years  from  the  founding 
of  Rome  by  Romulus.  The  learned  Greeks  were 
obliged  to  seek  refuge  in  Italy,  and  contributed  to 
the  revival  of  learning  in  the  west.  The  battle  of 


136  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

Castillon  terminates  the  English  government  in 
France,  July  7. 

1454.  A conspiracy  against  the  pope  in  Rome.  The  Prus- 

sians and  Poles  wage  war  for  twelve  years  against 
the  Teutonic  knights.  Thomas  a Kbmpis,  ob.  1471. 
Two  comets  appear. 

1455.  The  battle  of  St.  Albans,  May  31st.* 

1456.  A great  earthquake  at  Naples.  The  Turks  repulsed 

at  the  siege  of  Belgrade.  A large  comet  appears. 

1457.  Glass  first  manufactured  in  England.  A comet  ap- 

pears in  June,  in  the  20th  degree  of  Pisces.  Joannes 
Argyropulus,  ob.  1480,  set.  70. 

1458.  Corinth  taken  by  the  Turks.  A sedition  in  England. 

A comet  appears  in  July  below  Taurus. 

1459.  Alphonso’s  first  expedition  into  Africa. 

1460.  Battle  of  Northampton,  July  19th.  A large  comet 

appears.  Battle  of  Wakefield,  Dec.  31.  Alum 
mines  discovered  in  Italy.  Wood  cuts  invented. 

1461.  A comet  appeared.  King  Edward  defeats  king  Henry 

at  Towton,  March  29th.  Regiomontanus,  ob.  1476, 
set.  60.  % 

1462.  An  expedition  of  the  Turks  into  Wallachia.  The 

Vulgate  Bible  printed  in  2 vols.  Baptista  Platina, 
ob.  1481,  set.  60. 

1463.  A comet  appears.  The  plague  rages  in  Saxony  and 

Thuringia.  War  between  the  Venetians  and  Turks. 
Alphonso’s  second  expedition  into  Africa. 

1464.  League  against  Louis  XI.  of  France.  Rodolph  Agri- 

cola, ob.  1485,  set.  43. 

1466.  An  early  printed  book,  was  Cicero  de  Officiis,  in  which 

Greek  characters  were  first  occasionally  found,  which 
were  scarcely  legible. 

1467.  Sheep  first  sent  to  Spain  from  England.  A comet 

appears  above  the  Fishes. 

1468.  Two  comets  appear,  one  of  which  is  seen  15  days  in 

the  north,  and  the  other  15  days  in  the  west.  War- 
wick’s conspiracy  against  Edward.  Jos.  Jovianus 
Pontanus,  ob.  1503,  set.  70. 

1469.  Battle  of  Banbury,  July  26th.  Order  of  St.  Michael 

instituted  in  France. 

1470.  A comet  appears  on  the  13th  January.  Battle  of 

Stamford,  March  14.  King  Edward  attainted.  King 


OF  THE  WORLD.  137 

A.  D. 

Henry  VI.  restored.  Casts  in  plaster  invented  by 
Verochio. 

1471.  A comet  appears  in  autumn.  Battle  of  Barnet,  April 

14.  Edward  restored.  The  battle  of  Tewksbury, 
May  4th.  Marsilius  Ficinus,  ob.  1499,  set.  56. 

1472.  War  between  the  Turks  and  Parthians.  A comet 

appeared.  John  Lascaris,  ob.  1513,  set.  90. 

1473.  Tiphernas  introduced  into  France  the  study  of  the 

Greek  language.  A comet  appears  in  Cancer. 

1474.  The  Portuguese  discover  the  Cape  de  Verde  islands. 

Annius  of  Viterbo,  ob.  1492. 

1475.  Constable  de  St.  Paul  beheaded.  The  treaty  of 

Amiens,  Aug.  29.  Poland  and  Hungary  infested 
with  locusts.  A comet  appears  in  Libra. 

1476.  A comet  appears  in  June.  Ferdinand  of  Castile  de- 

feats the  king  of  Portugal.  George  Merula,  ob.  1494. 

1477.  Watches  made  at  Nuremberg.  Duke  of  Burgundy 

defeated  and  killed  at  Nancy.  A "comet  appears  in 
January. 

1478.  Laurence  de  Medici  banished  from"  Florence.  Peace 

between  France  and  Castile,  Nov.  9.  Waltherus 
observed  the  vernal  equinox  in  Ma'rch  11,  8h  15'. 

1479.  University  of  Upsal  founded.  Union-of  the  kingdoms 

of  Castile  and  Aragon.  ^ 

1480.  Rhodes  besieged  by  the  Turks.  f 

1481.  A great  famine  in  France.  Savonarola,  ob.  1498, 

set.  46. 

1482.  The  Portuguese  discover  the  coast  of  Guinea.  Jo. 

Picus,  of  Mirandola,  ob.  1494,  set.  37. 

1483.  A conspiracy  in  England.  Post  horses  and  stages 

established. 

1484.  Famine  and  the  plague  raged  in  Denmark. 

1485.  Battle  of  Bosworth,  Aug.  22.  The  houses  of  York 

and  Lancaster  united.  Demetrius  Chalcondyles, 
ob.  1513. 

1486.  The  Russians  clonquer  the  kingdom  of  Casan.  An- 

gelo Politian,  ob.  1494,  set.  46. 

1487.  The  star-chamber  instituted  in  England.  Hermolaus 

Barbarus,  ob.  1493,  set.  39. 

1488.  The  battle  of  St.  Aubin,  June  28.  Cape  of  Good 

Hope  discovered. 

1489.  Maps  and  sea  charts  introduced  into  England.  Dia» 

12* 


CHRONOLOGY 


138 

A,  D. 

monds  polished  at  Bruges.  An  earthquake  at  Con- 
stantinople. Cyprus  ceded  to  the  Venetians. 

1490.  Poetry  begins  to  flourish  in  Germany. 

1491.  A comet  appears  in  spring,  during  an  eclipse  of  the 

sun,  towards  the  south.  The  study  of  the  Greek 
tongue  introduced  into  England,  by  William  Grocyn, 
ob.  1522,  eet.  80.  Baptista  Mantuanus,  ob.  1516, 
set.  68. 

1492.  A comet  appears  in  December,  and  is  visible  in  the 

evening  for  two  months.  Brittany  reunited  to 
France.  America  discovered  by  Columbus,  placed 
by  Blair  in  1494.  After  he  had  been  wearied  by 
long  solicitations  at  other  courts,  Christopher  Colum- 
bus was  taken  under  the  patronage  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  of  Spain,  in  which  the  latter  has  the  chief 
honor  of  encouraging  the  enterprise.  He  was  fitted 
out  with  three  small  vessels,  two  of  which  were  with- 
out decks,  such  as  no  man  would  now  venture  to 
cross  the  Atlantic  in,  and  a crew  of  ninety  men, 
with  which  he  commenced  the  bold  undertaking  of 
crossing  the  wide  Atlantic,  the  extent  of  which  was 
unknown,  and  of  finding  land  at  the  west,  which  he 
supposed  would  be  some  part  of  India  or  China. 
After  numerous  difficulties,  the  great  question  was 
settled,  by  discovering,  after  a voyage  of  seventy 
days,  land  which  proved  to  be  one  of  the  Bahama 
West  India  islands.  He  set  sail  from  Palos  in  Spain 
on  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  time  of  his  voyage, 
from  his  departure  from  Gomera,  the  most  westerly 
of  the  Canary  Islands,  to  the  discovery  of  land  was 
thirty-five  days,  the  longest  time  that  any  navigator 
had  been  hitherto  out  of  sight  of  land.  This  dis- 
covery, considering  its  consequences,  was  undoubt- 
edly the  most  important  ever  made  by  man,  and  has 
materially  changed  the  aspect  and  condition  of  the 
world.  Isle  of  St.  Domingo  discovered.  Peace  be- 
tween Charles  VIII.  and  Henry  VI.  Ferdinand  ex- 
pelled the  Moors  from  Granada,  after  a possession  of 
above  800  years.  A meteoric  stone,  of  260  pounds 
weight,  fell  at  Ensisheim,  near  Sturgau  in  Alsace, 
November  7. 

1 4**3  A.  comet  seen  before  and  after  passing  its  meridian. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


139 


A.  D. 

Montserrat  discovered.  Jo.  Reuchlin,  surnamed 
Capnio,  introduces  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  languages 
into  Germany,  ob.  1521,  set.  67. 

1494.  University  of  Aberdeen  (King’s  College)  founded  by 

Bishop  Elphinstone.  Poyning’s  act  passes  in  Ire- 
land. 

1495.  Kingdom  of  Naples  seized  by  the  king  of  France. 

Algebra  taught  by  a friar  at  Venice.  The  diet  of 
Worms.  The  venereal  disease  brought  into  Europe. 

1496.  The  Jews  and  Moors  expelled  from  Portugal.  John 

Colet,  ob.  1519,  set.  53. 

1497.  Americus  Vespucius  discovers  North  America.  Vas- 

quez  de  Gama’s  expedition  to  the  East  Indies. 

1498.  Poland  ravaged  by  the  Wallachians,  who  carry  off 

100,000  prisoners,  and  sell  them  to  the  Turks.  Alex- 
ander ab  Alexandro,  ob.  1521,  set.  50. 

1499.  A comet  appears.  War  between  the  Venetians  and 

the  Turks.  Louis  XII.  takes  possession  of  the  Mi- 
lanese. Dr.  Thomas  Lynacre,  ob.  1524. 

1500.  A comet  appears  in  April,  and  is  seen  below  Capri- 

corn for  eighteen  days.  The  Portuguese  discover 
Brazil.  John  Cabot  discovers  Florida.  The  empire 
divided  into  six  circles  by  Maximilian.  Painting  in 
chiaro  obscuro  discovered.  A great  pestilence  in 
England. 

Sixteenth  Century. 

1501.  Inquisitorial  tribunal  established  at  Venice.  The 

kingdom  of  Naples  seized  by  Louis  of  France  and 
Ferdinand  of  Castile.  Aldus  Manutius,  ob.  1513. 

1502.  St.  Helena  discovered.  Pomponatius  of  Mantua,  ob. 

1525,  set.  63.  Gonsalvo,  ob.  1515,  set.  72. 

1503.  The  battle  of  Cerignole,  April  28.  Leonardo  da 

Vinci,  ob.  1520,  set.  75.  Cardinal  Ximenes,  ob. 
1517,  set.  80. 

1504.  A comet  appears.  King  Henry  VII.  built  a chapel  at 

Westminster  Abbey.  Hats  made  at  Paris.  Gawin 
Douglas,  ob.  1521. 

1505.  Shillings  first  coined  in  England.  Two  comets  ap- 

peared. Albert  Durer  of  Nuremberg,  ob.  1528, 
set.  57. 


140 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1506.  A comet  appears  in  August.  Academy  of  Frankfort 

on  the  Oder  founded.  Ceylon  discovered.  Nicholas 
Machiavel,  ob.  1529. 

1507.  The  Genoese  subdued  by  Louis.  Madagascar  dis- 

covered by  the  Portuguese.  Lewis  Ariosto,  ob. 
1533. 

1508.  The  league  of  Cambray  against  the  Venetians  signed, 

Dec.  10.  Budseus  of  Paris,  ob.  1540,  set.  73. 

1509.  The  Venetians  defeated.  The  battle  of  Aignadel, 

May  14.  An  earthquake  at  Constantinople,  Sept. 
14.  -f* 

1510.  About  1,200  meteoric  stones,  one  of  which  weighed 

120,  and  another  60  pounds,  fell  Vat  Padua.  The 
pope  grants  to  Ferdinand  the  investiture  of  Naples, 
July  23.  *4 

1511.  A large  comet  appears  in  Leo,  in  June  and  July. 

The  Spaniards  conquer  the  island  of  Cuba.  A 
league  against  the  French  between  the  emperor,  the 
pope,  and  the  Venetians,  Oct.  4.  Raphael,  ob.  1520, 
set.  37.  , V 

1512.  A comet  appears  in  March  and  April.  The  battle  of 

Ravenna,  April  11.  The  river  DA  la  Plata  discov- 
ered. Etching  on  copper  invented  ; some  place  it 
in  1459.  Erasmus,  ob.  1536,  set.  70. 

1513.  War  between  England  and  Scotland.  The  battle  of 

Novarro,  in  which  the  Swiss  defeat  the  French.  Bat- 
tle of  the  Spurs,  Aug.  16.  Battle  of  Flodden,  be- 
tween the  Scotch  and  English,  Sept.  9.  Sannazarius 
of  Naples,  ob.  1530. 

1514.  A comet  appears  in  Leo,  in  Jan.  and  Feb.  Cannon 

bullets  of  stone  still  used.  War  between  the  Otto- 
man empire  and  Persia.  Polydore  Virgil,  ob.  1555, 
set.  80. 

1515.  Copernicus  observed  the  vernal  equinox,  March  11, 

4h  30'  morn,  at  Fruemberg.  He  observed  Spica 
Virginis  in  17°  3'  2 ",  and  the  sun’s  apogee  in 
6°  40'.  The  first  Polyglot  Bible  printed  at  Alcala. 
Battle  of  Marignan  between  the  French  and  Swiss, 
Sept.  13  and  14.  Ferdinand  annexed  the  kingdom 
of  Navarre  to  that  of  Castile.  Cornelius  Agrippa, 
ob.  1534,  set.  48. 

1516.  A comet  appears.  The  kingdom  of  Algiers  seized  by 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


141 


Barbarossa.  War  between  the  Persians  and  Turks. 
Treaty  of  Noyon,  Aug.  16.  Francis  Guiecardini, 
ob.  1540,  set.  58. 

1517.  A comet  appears  in  Leo.  Luther  propagates  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Reformation  in  Germany,  ob.  1546,  set. 
63.  Luther  was  born  at  Eisleben  in  Saxony,  in 
1483,  of  poor  parents,  but  he  received  a learned 
education,  and  became  an  Augustin  friar,  and  re- 
tiring to  his  monastery,  he  obtained  great  reputation 
for  piety  and  a love  of  knowledge.  Happening  to 
find  a copy  of  the  Bible  in  the  library  of  his  monas- 
tery, he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  it  with  dili- 
gence ; and  when  Tetzel,  a Dominican  friar,  came 
to  Wittemberg,  employed  by  Leo  X.  for  the  sale  of 
indulgences,  Luther  published  from  the  pulpit  ninety- 
five  theses  against  him,  in  which  he  exposed  the 
abominations  of  this  traffic.  These  theses  spread 
over  Germany  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  they 
were  everywhere  read  with  the  greatest  avidity ; 
and  all  admired  the  boldness  of  the  man  who  ven- 
tured to  attack  the  plenitude  of  the  papal  power. 
Leo,  fond  of  his  ease,  regarded  the  controversy  be- 
tween Luther  and  his  opponents  as  a mere  squabble 
between  two  rival  orders  of  monks ; but  he  soon  dis- 
covered his  mistake.  On  the  21st  of  August,  1518, 
he  summoned  Luther  to  appear  at  Rome  within  sixty 
days,  before  the  auditor  of  the  chamber  and  the 
inquisitor-general  Prierias,  who  had  written  against 
him,  whom  he  empowered  jointly  to  examine  his 
doctrines,  and  to  decide  concerning  them.  The  pope 
at  length  agreed  to  refer  the  matter  to  Cajetan,  a 
learned  Dominican  friar,  his  legate  in  Germany,  be- 
fore whom  the  bold  reformer  appeared,  and  refused 
when  called  upon  to  retract  his  opinions,  which  he 
believed  to  be  true,  and  appealed  to  a general  coun- 
cil. At  this  ti{ne  he  had  no  thought  of  utterly  se- 
ceding from  the  Roman  Catholic  church  or  the  pope. 
Leo  caused  forty-one  propositions  to  be  extracted  from 
Luther’s  works,  which  he  forbade  to  be  read,  and  com- 
manded all  who  possessed  a copy  of  these  works  to 
commit  them  to  the  flames.  Luther  was  excommu- 
nicated, pronounced  a heretic,  and  delivered  unto 


142 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

Satan ; and  all  secular  princes  were  required  to 
seize  and  punish  the  audacious  heretic.  But  the  re- 
former was  not  dismayed ; in  some  cities  the  pope’s 
bull  was  treated  with  disrespect,  and  even  trodden 
under  foot.  Luther  now  began  to  pronounce  the 
pope  to  be  the  antichrist  foretold  in  the  scriptures. 
Leo  caused  the  works  of  Luther  to  be  publicly 
burned  at  Rome ; and  the  reformer,  by  way  of  re- 
taliation, caused  all  the  members  of  the  university 
of  Wittemberg  to  be  assembled,  and  in  the  presence 
of  an  immense  number  of  spectators,  cast  the  volumes 
of  the  canon  law,  together  with  the  bull  of  excom- 
munication into  the  flames,  and  his  example  was  imi- 
tated in  several  cities  of  Germany.  This  took  place 
on  the  10th  of  December,  1520.  A second  bull  of 
the  pope,  on  the  6th  of  the  following  month,  expelled 
Luther  from  the  communion  of  the  church.  Luther 
applied  himself  more  assiduously  to  the  study  of  the 
scriptures,  and  was  increasingly  prepared  to  expose 
the  falsehood  and  abominations  of  the  pope  and 
church  of  Rome. 

The  Turks  terminate  the  kingdom  of  the  Mamelukes 
in  Egypt. 

1518.  New  Spain  and  the  straits  of  Magellan  discovered. 

Zuinglius,  ob.  1531. 

1519.  Francis  I.  and  Charles  Y.  claim  the  imperial  throne. 

Proportional  compasses  invented  before  this  by  L. 
da  Vinci.  Cardinal  Bembo  of  Venice,  ob.  1547, 
set.  68. 

1520.  A comet  appears.  War  between  Prussia  and  Poland. 

Sweden  and  Denmark  united.  The  confederacy  of 
the  Holy  Junta  in  Spain.  Ludovicus  Vives  of  Va- 
lentia,  ob.  1536. 

1521.  A large  comet  appears  in  April,  between  Cancer  and 

Leo.  A league  against  Francis  I.  between  the  em- 
peror and  Henry  VIII.  The  diet  of  Worms,  April 
17.  The  diet  of  Worms  was  held  in  January,  1521, 
to  which  the  different  princes  were  invited,  to  con- 
cert the  most  proper  measures  for  checking  the  pro- 
gress of  the  new  and  dangerous  doctrines,  which 
threatened  to  overthrow  the  religion  of  their  ances- 
tors, and  disturb  the  peace  of  Germany.  An  attempt 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


149 


to  condemn  Luther  in  his  absence  was  frustrated  by 
a majority  of  the  members  of  the  diet.  He  had  a 
safe  conduct  from  the  emperor,  but  he  had  seen  in 
the  case  of  John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  how 
poor  a protection  this  wa's  against  the  flames  of  mar- 
tyrdom. He  declared  that  if  there  were  “ as  many 
devils  at  the  council  to  oppose  him,  as  there  were 
tiles  on  the  houses,”  he  would  not  refuse  to  go ; and 
he  could  not  when  present  be  induced  to  retract  his 
opinions ; and  though  he  was  suffered  to  depart  un- 
scathed, through  the  kind  protection  of  his  friends 
among  the  princes,  he  was  immediately  after  his  de- 
parture placed  under  the  ban  of  the  empire. 

The  university  of  Paris  publicly  condemned  his  sen- 
timents, and  Henry  VIII.  attempted  to  confute  themr 
from  which  circumstance  the  pope  conferred  on  him 
the  title  of  “Defender  of  the  Faith,”  which  his 
successors  still  wear,  but  not  professedly  as  the 
champions  of  popery. 

At  the  same  time  that  the  Reformation  was  progress- 
ing in  Germany,  it  broke  out  in  Switzerland  under 
Zuinglius. 

It  is  a little  remarkable  that  Luther,  notwithstanding 
the  violence  and  power  with  which  he  was  persecuted, 
at  last  died  a natural  death.  To  this  circumstance 
the  rivalship  between  Charles  Y.  of  Germany,  and 
Francis  I.  of  France  undoubtedly  contributed.  Each 
wished  to  conciliate  the  states  of  Germany,  some  of 
which  strongly  favored  the  Reformation. 

Belgrade  taken  by  the  Turks,  August.  Copernicus 
of  Thorn,  in  Prussia,  ob.  1543,  set.  60. 

1522.  The  island  of  Rhodes  taken  from  the  knights,  by  the 

Turks,  Dec.  25.  The  first  voyage  round  the  world, 
by  a ship  of  Magellan’s  squadron.  Michael  Angelo, 
ob.  1564,  set.  89. 

1523.  Sweden  and  Denmark  disunited.  Paracelsus,  ob. 

1541,  set.  48. 

1524.  Clement  Marot,  ob.  1544,  set.  60.  Queen  Katharine 

of  England,  ob.  1536,  set.  50. 

1525.  The  battle  of  Pavia,  in  which  Francis  I.  was  taken 

prisoner,  Feb.  24.  Julio  Romano,  ob.  1546,  set.  54. 
Sir  Thomas  More,  lord  chancellor,  ob.  1535. 


CHRONOLOGY 


144 

A.  D. 

1526.  A comet  appears  from  23d  Aug.  to  7th  Sept.  Treaty 

of  Madrid,  Jan.  14.  The  inquisition  established  in 
Portugal.  Lutheranism  established  in  Denmark. 
Paul  Jovius,  ob.  1552,  set.  70. 

1527.  A large  comet  appears  in  Leo,  on  the  11th  Aug.  The 

papal  territories  invaded  by  Charles  V.,  and  Rome 
taken  and  plundered,  May  6.  Bermuda  isles  dis- 
covered. Francis  Rabelais,  ob.  1553,  set.  70. 

1528.  A comet  appears  in  Pisces,  on  the  18th  January.  Po- 

pery abolished  in  Sweden.  Andrew  Doria,  ob.  1560, 
set.  93.  Olaus  Magnus,  ob.  1544. 

1529.  Four  comets  and  an  aurora  borealis  appear.  The 

diet  of  Spires,  March  15,  against  the  reformers,  after 
which  they  received  the  name  of  Protestants.  At 
the  diet  of  Spires  a decree  was  passed  unfavorable 
to  the  Lutherans,  when  John,  elector  of  Branden- 
burgh,  and  several  other  princes  protested  against  it, 
and  were  thence  called  Protestants.  The  diet  or- 
dained that  the  question  between  the  parties  should 
remain  unsettled  until  the  calling  of  a general  coun- 
cil, and  laid  some  restrictions  upon  the  progress  of 
the  new  opinions,  while  the  Protestants  demanded  the 
immediate  summoning  of  a lawful  council. 

The  treaty  of  Cambray,  Aug.  5.  Vienna  besieged  by 
the  Turks,  who  are  repulsed.  J.  Geo.  Trissino,  ob. 
1550. 

1530.  A comet  appeared  from  the  6th  Aug.  to  the  13th  Sept. 

The  diet  of  Augsburg,  June  25.  Union  of  the  Prot- 
estants at  Smalcald,  Dec.  22.  The  secretary  of 
state’s  office  instituted  in  England.  Spinning-wheel 
invented  by  Jurgen  of  Brunswick.  Martin  Bucer, 
ob.  1551,  set.  60. 

1531.  Post-offices  in  England.  A great  earthquake  at  Lis- 

bon. A comet  appeared.  Hieronymus  Vida,  ob. 
1566. 

1532.  The  court  of  session  instituted  in  Scotland.  Peace 

between  the  emperor  and  German  princes,  July  23. 
A comet  appeared.  Treaty  of  Nuremberg,  Aug.  2. 
Lilio  Giraldi,  ob.  1552,  set.  74. 

1533.  Authority  of  the  pope  abolished  in  England.  An  in- 

surrection of  the  Anabaptists  in  Westphalia.  A 
comet  appeared.  Ignatius  Loyola,  ob.  1556,  set.  65. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


145 


A.  D. 

.534.  The  kingdom  of  Tunis  seized  by  Barbarossa.  The 
Reformation  takes  place  in  England,  March  30. 
The  Reformation  in  England  took  its  rise  from  the 
wish  of  Henry  VIII.  to  obtain  a divorce  from  his 
wife,  Queen  Catharine  of  Spain,  who  was  the  widow 
of  his  elder  brother,  Arthur,  the  latter  of  whom  lived 
but  a few  months  after  their  marriage.  Henry  ob- 
tained a dispensation  from  the  pope  for  the  marriage  of 
his  brother’s  widow.  But  he  began,  in  1527,  pro- 
fessedly to  entertain  scruples  of  conscience  on  ac- 
count of  this  marriage,  his  wife  being  within  the 
prohibited  degrees  of  affinity,  though  he  had  been 
eighteen  years  married  to  her  and  had  several  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  died  young,  excepting  Mary,  after- 
wards queen  of  England.  His  scruples  of  conscience 
were  doubtless  greatly  increased  by  the  ardent  at- 
tachment which  he  had  formed  for  Anne  Boleyn,  a 
beautiful  maid  of  honor  to  Queen  Catharine,  whom 
he  wished  to  make  his  wife,  after  having  created  her 
marchioness  of  Pembroke.  Catharine  refused  to 
consent  to  a divorce,  and  the  pope  would  not  annul 
the  marriage.  Henry  married  Anne  Boleyn,  and 
the  pope  excommunicated  the  king.  Henry,  enraged 
at  this  treatment,  abolished  the  papal  authority  in 
England,  refused  an  annual  tribute  to  the  pope,  or- 
dered a dissolution  of  the  monasteries,  and  seized  on 
their  great  wealth,  obliged  the  clergy  as  well  as  oth- 
ers to  acknowledge  him  as  the  head  of  the  church, 
and  threatened  banishment  or  death  to  all  who  should 
refuse  obedience.  Though  Henry  was  not  in  prin- 
ciple of  the  reformed  religion,  and  wished  himself 
merely  to  occupy  the  place  of  pope  in  his  own  king- 
dom, he  was  the  instrument  of  breaking  the  power 
of  the  papacy  in  England,  and  prepared  the  way  for 
better  men  than  himself  to  effect  an  extensive  re- 
formation. 

J ulius  Caesar  Scaliger,  ob.  1558,  set.  75.  Anne  Boleyn, 
queen  of  England,  ob.  1536,  being  beheaded  by  com- 
mand of  Henry  VIII.,  on  a charge  of  unfaithfulness, 
he  having  fixed  his  affections  on  Jane  Seymour,  a 
beautiful  maid  of  honor  in  the  court  of  the  queen, 
whom  he  married  the  next  day  after  Anne  Boleyn 
13 


CHRONOLOGY 


146 

A.  D. 

was  beheaded.  She  was  afterwards  the  mother  of 
Edward  VI.,  and  died  at  his  birth. 

1535.  The  Reformation  introduced  into  Ireland.  Charles 

V.’s  expedition  into  Africa  terminates,  Aug.  14. 
The  society  of  the  Jesuits  formed.  Archbishop 
Cranmer,  ob.  1556,  set.  67.  Barbarossa,  the  Turk- 
ish general,  ob.  1547. 

1536.  Expedition  of  James,  king  of  Scotland,  into  France. 

A league  against  Charles  V.  between  Solyman  and 
Francis.  John  Leland,  ob.  1552.  Jane  Seymour, 
queen  of  England,  ob.  1537. 

1537.  A comet  appeared  in  Taurus,  in  May,  and  was  seen 

three  weeks.  Fracostorius,  ob.  1553,  set.  71. 

1538.  A comet  appeared  in  Pisces,  from  the  17th  to  the  21st 

Jan.  A treaty,  which  lasts  four  years,  concluded  at 
Nice,  between  Charles  and  Francis,  June  18.  Peter 
Aretino,  ob.  1556,  set.  65. 

1539.  A comet,  moving  in  a retrograde  direction,  was  seen 

in  Leo  from  the  6th  to  the  17th  of  May.  A rebel- 
lion at  Ghent.  The  Bible  printed  in  English.  The 
Cortes  in  Spain  subverted  by  Charles  V.  645  mon- 
asteries, &c.,  suppressed  in  England  and  Wales. 
John  Sleidan,  ob.  1458.  Ann  of  Cleves,  queen  of 
England,  divorced  1540. 

1540.  A comet  appeared.  Sebastian  Cabot  discovers  the 

variation  of  the  compass.  The  order  of  knights  of 
St.  John  abolished.  The  society  of  Jesuits  estab- 
lished. Robert  Stephens,  ob.  1559,  set.  56.  Catha- 
rine Howard,  queen  of  England,  ob.  1542.  She 
was  beheaded  on  the  charge  of  infidelity,  which  was 
not  well  proved  but  before  marriage,  which  caused 
the  parliament  to  pass  a law  making  it  high  treason 
for  a queen  to  impose  herself  as  a virgin  on  the  king, 
when  it  was  not  true.  This  was  the  second  queen 
whom  the  king  had  caused  to  be  beheaded.  Of  him 
it  was  well  said,  “that  he  never  spared  a man  in  his 
anger,  or  a woman  in  his  lust.”  But  he  chose  to  be 
wicked  according  to  law,  and  where  his  passions  were 
not  concerned  he  was  often  affectionate  and  kind. 
He  did  not  pursue  the  lawless  course  of  Charles  II., 
abounding  with  natural  children,  but  he  could  abet 
the  repudiation  and  even  death  of  a wife,  when  she 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD* 


147 


stood  in  the  way  of  his  marrying  some  new  object 
of  his  affections. 

1541.  A comet  appeared.  Soly man  subjects  Hungary.  Al- 

giers besieged  by  Charles,  Oct.  21.  Melancthon,  ob. 
1560,  set.  64. 

1542.  A comet  was  seen  near  Constantinople  for  forty  days. 

A treaty  between  Francis  I.  and  Solyman  against 
Charles  V.  Japan  discovered.  Hieron.  Wolfius, 
ob.  1580,  set.  64.  Scotland  invaded  by  the  English, 
who  defeat  the  Scots  at  Solway  Moss,  Nov.  23.  Ti- 
tian Vecelli,  ob.  1576,  set.  99. 

1543.  Mortars  and  iron  cannon  made  in  England.  Ir°n 

first  cast  in  England.  A league  between  Charles 
Y.  and  Henry,  against  Francis  I.  The  academy  ef 
Verona  founded.  California  discovered.  Pins  in- 
troduced from  France  into  England.  John  Calvin, 
ob.  1564,  set.  55.  Catharine  Parr,  queen  of  Eng- 
land. She  was  the  widow  of  Lord  Latimer.  The  late 
act  had  rendered  the  king  too  dangerous  a lover  for 
any  maiden  ladies  to  think  of  encountering.  With 
him,  suspicion  was  conviction,  and  accusation  death. 
Even  Catharine  Parr  narrowly  escaped  decapitation 
for  her  friendship  to  the  Reformation.  In  the  pre- 
sence of  Winchester,  she  had  been  urging  her  old 
topic,  the  perfection  of  the  Reformation,  and  after  she 
had  retired,  the  king  broke  out  into  this  expression : 
“ A good  hearing  it  is,  when  women  become  such 
clerks  ! and  a thing  much  to  my  comfort,  to  come  in 
my  old  age  to  be  taught  by  my  wife.55  Winchester 
did  not  fail  to  improve  the  opportunity  of  aggravating 
the  queen’s  insolence  ; and  after  insinuating  the  dan- 
ger of  cherishing  such  a serpent  in  his  bosom,  ac- 
cused her  of  treason  based  upon  heresy.  Upon 
which  the  king  was  prevailed  on  to  give  a warrant 
to  draw  up  articles  that  would  touch  her  life,  and  the 
day  and  the  hour  were  appointed  when  she  was  to  be 
seized.  The  queen  accidentally  discovered  the  de- 
sign, and  waited  on  the  king,  who  received  her  kind- 
ly, and  purposely  began  a discourse  about  religion. 
She  answered,  “ that  women  by  their  creation  at  first 
were  made  subject  to  men ; who  being  made  after 
the  image  of  God,  as  the  women  were  after  their 


CHRONOLOGY 


148 

A.  I 

image,  ought  to  instruct  their  wives ; and  that  she 
was  much  more  to  be  taught  by  his  majesty,  who 
was  a prince  of  such  excellent  learning  and  wis^ 
dom.”  “Not  so,  by  St.  Mary,”  said  the  king,  “you 
are  become  a doctor,  Kate,  able  to  instruct  us,  and 
not  to  be  instructed  by  us.”  To  which  she  replied, 
“ that  he  had  much  mistaken  her  freedom  in  arguing 
with  him,  since  she  did  it  to  engage  him  in  discourse, 
to  amuse  this  painful  time  of  his  infirmity ; and  that 
she  might  receive  profit  by  his  learned  conversation, 
in  which  last  point  she  had  not  missed  her  aim,  al- 
ways referring  herself  in  these  matters  as  she  ought 
to  his  majesty.”  “ And  is  it  so,  sweetheart  ?”  said 
the  king,  “ then  we  are  perfect  friends  again.”  On 
the  appointed  day  when  she  was  to  be  taken  to  the 
tower,  being  a fine  day,  the  king  walked  in  the  gar- 
den and  sent  for  the  queen.  While  they  were  to- 
gether, the  lord  chancellor,  who  was  ignorant  of  the 
reconciliation,  came  with  the  guards.  The  king 
stepped  aside  to  him,  and  after  a little  discourse  was 
heard  to  call  him  knave.  Ay,  arrant  knave,  a fool, 
a beast,  and  bid  him  presently  avaunt  out  of  his  sight. 
The  queen,  not  knowing  on  what  errand  they  came, 
endeavored,  with  gentle  words,  to  pacify  the  king’s 
anger.  “ Ah  ! poor  soul,”  said  the  king,  “ thou  little 
knowest  how  ill  he  deserves  this  at  thy  hand.  On 
my  word,  sweetheart,  he  has  been  towards  thee  an 
arrant  knave,  and  so  let  him  go.”  Thus  she  proba- 
bly saved  her  life,  and  surviving  the  king,  he  left 
her  at  his  decease,  as  a mark  of  his  affection,  a legacy 
of  <£4,000  pounds,  besides  her  jointure.  This  anec- 
dote affords  a good  picture  of  the  character  of 
Henry  VIII. 

1544.  The  Imperialists  defeated  by  the  French  at  the  battle 

of  Cerisoles,  April  11.  The  crown  of  Sweden  de- 
clared hereditary.  Treaty  of  Crespi,  between  the 
emperor  and  Francis  I.,  Sept.  18.  The  reformed 
religion  tolerated  in  Sweden.  Adrian  Turnebus,  ob. 
1565,  set.  53. 

1545.  A comet  was  seen  in  the  west  for  several  days.  Nee- 

dles first  made  in  England.  Disturbances  in  Scot- 
land. The  English  defeated  by  the  Scots  at  Ancram 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


149 


Muir.  The  council  of  Trent  begins,  and  lasts  eigh- 
teen years.  Conrad  Gesner,  ob.  1565,  set.  49. 

1546.  A league  against  the  Protestants  between  the  emperor 

and  the  pope.  Socinianism  springs  up  in  Italy. 
Camerarius,  ob.  1574,  set.  75. 

1547.  A comet  appeared.  The  elector  of  Saxony  defeated 

by  the  emperor  at  Muhlberg,  April  24.  Fiesque’s 
conspiracy  in  Genoa.  The  Scots  defeated  by  the 
English  at  Pinkney,  Sept.  10.  Jerome  Cardan,  ob. 
1575,  set.  75. 

1548.  War  between  the  Persians  and  Turks.  The  interim 

granted  to  the  Protestants  by  Charles  V.  The  Re- 
formation advances  in  Poland.  Jo.  Genesius  de  Se- 
pulveda, the  restorer  of  learning  in  Spain,  ob.  1572, 
set.  81. 

1550.  The  eldest  sons  of  peers  permitted  to  sit  in  the  House 

of  Commons.  Bank  of  Venice  established.  Iron 
bullets  first  used  in  England.  Stockings  first  knit 
in  Spain. 

1551.  A league  against  the  emperor  between  Henry  II. 

and  Maurice,  duke  of  Saxony.  Annibal  Caro,  ob. 
1566. 

1552.  The  treaty  of  Passau  between  Charles  and  the  Pro- 

testants, July  31.  Books  of  astronomy  and  geome- 
try destroyed  in  England  as  magical.  Paul  Manu- 
tius,  ob.  1574,  set.  62. 

1553.  Queen  Mary  restores  popery  in  England.  Servetus 

executed  for  heresy  by  the  council  of  Geneva. 
Edward  VI.  dies,  July  6,  set.  16.  Cardinal  Pole,  ob. 
1558. 


1554.  A comet  appeared  for  several  days  with  its  tail  turned 

towards  the  east.  The  Low  Countries  invaded  by 
the  French.  The  Russians  subdue  A stracan.  Ma- 
ry of  England  marries  Philip  of  Spain.  Castelve- 
tro,  ob.  1571,  s^t.  66. 

1555.  A comet  appeared.  The  peace  of  religion  established 

in  Germany,  Sept.  25.  A league  against  the  Span- 
iards between  the  king  of  France  and  the  pope,  Dec. 
15.  Frederick  Commandin,  ob.  1575,  set.  66. 

1556.  A comet  appeared.  Corsica  ravaged  by  the  Turks. 

Charles  resigns  his  crown  to  Philip,  Jan.  6.  He  was 
tired  of  the  grandeur  of  the  world  and  the  toils  of 
13* 


150  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

empire  ; and  having  yielded  up  Spain  to  his  son 
Philip,  and  Germany  to  his  brother  Ferdinand,  who 
had  already  acquired  the  title  of  king  of  the  Ro- 
mans, he  retired  to  a monastery  in  Estramadura,  near 
Portugal. 

1557.  A comet  appeared  in  Sagittarius.  Charles  retires  to 

a monastery,  Feb.  24.  Glass  first  manufactured  in 
England.  Battle  of  St.  Quintin,  at  which  the 
French  are  defeated,  Aug.  10.  Onuphrius  Pan- 
vinius,  ob.  1563,  set.  39. 

1558.  A comet  appeared  in  August,  near  Berenice’s  hair. 

The  French  take  Calais,  Jan.  8.  Queen  Mary  dies, 
Nov.  17,  after  an  inglorious  reign  of  5 years,  4 
months,  and  11  days,  in  the  43d  year  of  her  age,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Elizabeth,  her  half-sister,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Anne  Boleyn.  Eliza- 
beth had  been  trained  in  the  school  of  adversity. 
During  the  reign  of  her  sister,  she  narrowly  escaped 
being  put  to  death  for  her  partiality  to  the  Protest- 
ants ; and  Philip,  the  husband  of  Mary,  though  a 
bigot,  afforded  her  protection.  After  she  ascended 
the  throne  he  offered  her  marriage,  and  promised  to 
obtain  a dispensation  from  the  pope  for  this  purpose, 
but  she  respectfully  declined  it. 

At  this  period  there  was  scarcely  a chimney  in  any 
house  in  England.  Fires  were  kindled  by  the  walls, 
and  the  smoke  found  its  way  out  at  the  roof,  doors,  or 
windows  ; the  habitations  were  nothing  but  walling, 
plastered  over  with  clay  ; the  people  reposed  on 
pallets  of  straw,  and  had  a log  of  wood  by  way  of  a 
pillow.  How  unlike  the  accommodations  of  the 
present  times ! Queen  Elizabeth  used  to  ride  in 
state  on  a pillion  behind  her  chamberlain ; coaches 
were  then  unknown. 

The  reformed  religion  authorized  in  England.  Ron- 
sard,  ob.  1585,  set.  61. 

1559.  Five  large  meteoric  stones  fell  at  Miscoz  in  Transyl- 

vania. A comet  appeared  in  June  for  some  days. 
The  peace  of  Chateau-Cambresis.  The  tranquillity 
of  Europe  restored.  The  queen  regent  of  Scotland 
persecutes  the  reformers.  George  Buchanan,  ob. 
1582,  set.  76. 


OF  THE  WORLD, 


151 


fL.  D. 

1560.  A comet  appeared  in  Dec.  for  28  days.  The  civil 

wars  in  France  begin  by  the  conspiracy  at  Amboise. 
Philip  removes  his  court  from  Toledo  to  Madrid.  A 
treaty  between  Elizabeth  and  the  Protestants  in 
Scotland,  at  Berwick,  Feb.  27.  Presbytery  estab- 
lished in  Scotland. 

1561.  Queen  Mary  arrives  in  Scotland  after  an  absence  of 

13  years.  Livonia  ceded  to  Poland.  Louis  Camo- 
ens,  ob.  1579,  set.  50. 

1562.  Prince  of  Conde  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Dreux,  Dec. 

19.  Peter  Ramus,  ob.  1572. 

1563.  War  between  Denmark  and  Sweden.  The  council  of 

Trent  terminates,  Dec.  4.  Orleans  besieged  by  the 
duke  of  Guise,  Feb.  6.  The  Escurial  in  Spain  built. 
Slave-trade  carried  on  with  England.  Osorius,  ob. 
1580. 

1564.  A comet  appeared  on  the  25th  Feb.  The  beginning 

of  the  year  fixed  to  Jan.  1,  in  France.  Peace  be- 
tween France  and  England,  April  9.  The  first 
coach  made  in  England  by  Walter  Rippon.  See 
Stowe’s  Summary , p.  287. 

1565.  The  revolt  of  the  Low  Countries.  The  Turks  attack 

Malta.  Tintoret,  ob.  1594,  set.  82. 

1566.  Two  comets  appear.  The  39  articles  of  the  church 

of  England  established.  Hungary  ravaged  by  the 
Tartars.  Theodore  Beza,  ob.  1605,  set.  86. 

1567.  A comet  appears.  Queen  Mary  marries  Bothwell, 

May  15.  Battle  of  St.  Denis,  Nov.  10.  Disturb- 
ances in  Sweden,  James  Cujas,  ob.  1590,  set.  68. 

1568.  Queen  Mary  defeated  in  the  battle  of  Glasgow,  May 

13  ; retires  into  England  in  the  beginning  of  June, 
and  is  imprisoned.  The  Moors  in  Spain  revolt. 
The  reformed  religion  tolerated  in  the  Low  Coun- 
tries. Three  clockmakers  came  to  England  from 
Delft.  Ciaconius,  ob.  1581,  set.  56. 

1569.  A comet  appeared  in  Capricorn  on  the  8th  and  9th 

November.  The  battle  of  Jarnac,  May  13 ; of 
Moncontour,  Oct.  3.  Pancirolus,  ob.  1591. 

1570.  A league  between  Spain,  Venice,  and  the  Roman  see, 

against  the  Ottoman  Porte.  The  peace  of  Germain- 
en-Laye,  in  favor  of  the  Pluguenots,  August  15. 
Log-line  used.  Carolus  Sigonius,  ob.  1585,  set.  60. 


152 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1571.  The  Turks  take  the  isle  of  Cyprus.  The  Turks  de- 

feated at  the  battle  of  Lepanto,  Oct.  7.  Henry 
Stephens,  ob.  1598,  set.  70. 

1572.  The  massacre  of  the  Protestants  at  Paris,  Aug.  24. — 

This  was  the  famous  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew, 
in  which  Charles  IX.,  instigated  by  his  mother,  and  * 
the  advice  of  many  nobles  of  his  court,  ordered  the 
massacre  of  all  the  Protestants  in  the  kingdom,  on 
the  nights  of  the  24th  and  25th  of  August.  The 
Protestants  had  been  invited  to  Paris  on  the  occasion 
of  the  celebration  of  the  marriage  of  Henry,  king  of 
Navarre,  with  the  sister  of  Charles  IX.  Charles 
was  himself  accused  of  firing  from  a long  arabesque, 
being  stationed  at  one  of  the  windows  of  the  Louvre, 
overlooking  the  Seine,  and  thus  murdering  some  of 
his  defenceless  and  fugitive  subjects.  Similar  or- 
ders, which  had  been  dispatched  throughout  all 
France,  caused  the  massacre  of  more  than  60,000 
French  Protestants,  which  would  have  been  con- 
siderably augmented,  had  not  the  governors  of  some 
*owns  refused  to  fulfil  the  bloody  edict.  But  the 
massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  so  far  from  diminish- 
ing the  Protestants,  rather  increased  them  ; they 
ishut  themselves  up  in  their  strongholds,  and  de- 
fended themselves  with  desperation. 

Cornelius  Gemma  observes  a bright  new  star  in  Cas- 
siopeia. Bodinus,  ob.  1585. 

1573.  War  against  the  Protestants  in  France.  Paul  Vero- 

nese, ob.  1588,  set.  56. 

1574.  The  Spaniards  besiege  Leyden.  Sebastian  of  Portu- 

gal’s expedition  against  the  Moors  in  Africa.  Mon- 
taigne, ob.  1592,  c£t.  59. 

1575.  University  of  Leyden  founded.  Russia  ravaged  by 

the  Turks.  Francis  Hotomanus,  ob.  1590,  set. 
65. 

1576.  The  Protestant  religion  permitted  in  France.  A civil 

war  ensues.  Palladio  flourished. 

1577.  Drake  circumnavigates  the  globe,  and  returns  Nov.  3, 

1580.  A comet  appeared.  Janus  Dousa,  ob.  1604, 
set.  50. 

1578.  A large  comet  appeared  in  October.  The  first  treaty 

of  alliance  between  England  and  the  States  Gene- 


OF  THE  WORLD.  153 

A.  D. 

ral,  Jan.  7.  A long  and  bloody  war  between  Persia 
and  the  Ottoman  Porte.  Don  Sebastian  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Alcasar,  Aug.  4.  Cardinal  Baronius,  ob. 
1607,  set.  69. 

1579.  The  union  of  Utrecht,  which  begins  the  republic 

of  Holland,  January  23.  Riccoboni,  ob.  1600,  set. 
58. 

1580.  The  kingdom  of  Portugal  seized  by  Philip  of  Spain 

A comet  appeared.  Peter  Pithou,  ob.  1596. 

1581.  A meteoric  stone  of  39  pounds  weight  fell  in  Thu 

ringia  on  the  26th  July.  University  of  Edinburgh 
founded.  An  edict  of  the  United  Provinces  against 
Philip,  July  26.  Copper  money  introduced  into 
France.  Joseph  Scaliger,  ob.  1609,  set.  69. 

1582.  Pope  Gregory  reforms  the  Julian  calendar.  New 

style  introduced  into  Catholic  countries,  Oct.  5 being 
reckoned  Oct.  15.  A comet  appeared.  Christopher 
Clavius,  ob.  1612,  set.  75. 

1583.  A meteoric  stone  of  30  pounds  weight  fell  at  Rosa  in 

Lavadie  in  January.  The  first  proposal  of  settling 
a colony  in  America.  Torquato  Tasso,  ob.  1595, 
set.  51. 

1584.  Raleigh  discovered  Virginia.  Cape  Breton  discovered. 

William  prince  of  Orange  murdered  at  Delft,  June 
30.  Edmund  Spencer,  ob.  1598. 

1585.  Carthagena  taken  by  Drake.  Greenland  discovered. 

The  treaty  of  Nonsuch  between  England  and  the 
States  General,  Aug.  10.  A comet  appeared. 

1586.  Babington’s  conspiracy  against  Queen  Elizabeth. 

Cavendish’s  first  voyage  round  the  world.  Tycho 
Brahe,  ob.  1601,  set.  55. 

1587.  Queen  Mary  beheaded,  Feb.  8. — Mary  queen  of 

Scots  being  charged  with  having  connived  at  and 
forwarded  Babington’s  conspiracy,  was  removed  to 
Fotheringay  castle,  in  Northamptonshire,  when  it 
was  determined  by  Elizabeth’s  council  that  40  of 
the  most  illustrious  persons  in  the  realm,  with  five 
judges,  should  sit  in  judgment  upon  Mary.  On  the 
12th  of  October,  1586,  the  Queen  of  Scots  learned 
the  charges  alleged  against  her ; of  which  she 
solemnly  protested  her  innocence.  On  the  25th  of 
October,  in  the  Star  Chamber  at  Westminster,  Mary 


CHRONOLOGY 


154 

A.  D 

was  pronounced  accessary  to  Babington’s  conspira- 
cy, and  to  have  imagined  the  death  of  Elizabeth. 
On  the  7th  of  February  the  Earls  of  Shrewsbury 
and  Kent  arrived  at  Fotheringay  castle,  and  com- 
manded Mary  to  prepare  for  death  by  8 o’clock  the 
following  morning,  the  warrant  for  her  execution  be- 
ing read  aloud  to  her.  At  the  appointed  hour  Mary, 
with  great  calmness  and  magnanimity,  repaired  to 
the  spot  appointed  for  her  execution,  placed  her 
head  on  the  fatal  block,  and  at  the  second  stroke  of 
the  executioner,  her  head  was  severed  from  hei 
body.  Such  was  the  tragical  death  of  the  beautiful 
Mary  of  Scotland,  in  the  45th  year  of  her  age,  and 
the  19th  of  her  captivity. 

This  transaction  has  brought  deserved  odium  on  the 
name  of  Elizabeth,  who  pretended  that  the  warrant 
for  execution  was  intended  to  have  lain  dormant,  and 
she  therefore  threw  the  odium  on  her  secretary,  Da- 
vison, who  was  in  consequence  tried,  imprisoned, 
and  fined. 

The  battle  of  Coutras,  Oct.  20.  A hundred  sail  of 
ships  in  the  bay  of  Cadiz  burned  by  Drake. 

L588.  The  Spanish  armada  destroyed,  July  27.— Philip  II. 
of  Spain,  to  revenge  the  death  of  Mary  queen  of 
Scots,  and  the  assistance  afforded  by  Elizabeth  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Low  Countries  in  gaining  their 
independence  of  Spain,  equipped  a numerous  fleet, 
which  he  pompously  denominated  the  Invincible 
Armada , consisting  of  450  large  vessels,  equipped  at 
a vast  expense,  by  treasure  which  he  had  derived 
from  Peru  and  Mexico,  for  the  invasion  of  England. 
On  arriving  at  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  that  im- 
mense naval  equipment  was  in  part  dissipated  by  the 
winds,  and  partly  overpowered  by  the  skilful  ma- 
noeuvres of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  and  other  distin- 
guished British  naval  commanders.  After  a fight 
of  several  days,  a violent  tempest  overtook  the 
Spanish  forces,  after  they  had  passed  the  Orkneys  ; 
and  many  of  the  ships  were  driven  on  the  western 
islands  of  Scotland,  or  on  the  coast  of  Ireland,  so 
so  that  not  one  half  of  them  ever  returned  to  Spain. 
Such  was  the  miserable  and  disgraceful  conclusion 


OF  THE  WORLD.  155 

A.  D. 

of  an  enterprise  which  had  nearly  exhausted  the 
revenues  of  Spain,  and  had  long  filled  Europe  with 
anxiety  or  expectation. 

First  newspaper  in  England,  dated  July  28.  The 
duke  of  Guise,  &c.  assassinated.  Duelling  with 
small  swords  introduced  into  England.  Bombshells 
invented  at  Venloo  ; they  were  first  thrown  into  the 
city  of  Watchtendonch  in  Guelderland,  and  are  said 
to  have  been  used  at  Naples  in  1495.  Henrico 
Catharino  Davila,  ob.  1631,  set.  55. 

1589.  A conspiracy,  by  Huntly,  Crawford,  &c.  against 

James,  king  of  Scotland.  Peace  between  the  Turks 
and  Persians.  Drake’s  expedition  to  Spain  and 
Portugal.  Henry  III.  murdered  by  Clement,  July 
22.  Justus  Lipsius,  ob.  1606,  set.  58. 

1590.  A comet  appeared.  Telescopes  invented  by  Jansen,  a 

spectacle-maker  in  Germany.  An  earthquake  at 
Vienna,  Sept.  5.  The  art  of  weaving  stockings  in- 
vented by  Lee,  of  Cambridge.  A slitting  mill 
erected  at  Dartford.  The  battle  of  Ivry,  which 
ruined  the  league,  March  4.  Stephen  Pasquier,  ob. 
1615,  set.  81. 

1591.  The  university  of  Dublin  founded.  Tea  first  brought 

into  Europe.  Mariana,  ob.  1624,  set.  87. 

1592.  Presbyterian  church  government  established  by  act 

of  parliament  in  Scotland.  Falkland  isles  dis- 
covered. 

1593.  Marischal  College,  Aberdeen,  founded  by  George, 

Earl  Marischal  of  Scotland.  Bothwell’s  conspiracy 
against  king  James.  A comet  appeared.  A great 
plague  in  London.  Cardinal  Perron,  ob.  1618, 
set.  63. 

1594.  Baron  Napier  invents  logarithms,  ob.  1617,  set.  67. 

The  Jesuits  banished  from  France,  Dec.  19th.  The 
bank  of  England x incorporated.  Isaac  Casaubon, 
ob.  1614,  set.  55. 

1595.  Drake’s  expedition  against  the  isthmus  of  Darien. 

Discoveries  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  made  by  Mendana 
and  Quiros.  The  Russians  make  the  first  discove- 
ries in  Siberia.  Caribbee  isles  discovered.  Shak- 
speare,  ob.  1616,  set.  53. 

1596.  The  Spaniards  take  Calais  from  the  French.  A great 


156  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  B. 

earthquake  at  Japan.  The  Spanish  fleet  defeated 
by  the  English,  and  Cadiz  taken.  A treaty  between 
England,  France,  and  Holland,  against  Spain,  Oct. 
31.  A comet  appeared.  The  Stella  Mira  in  Collo 
Ceti,  observed  by  David  Fabricius,  Aug.  13th.  An- 
nibal  Caracci,  ob.  1609,  set.  40. 

1597.  A comet  is  seen  from  the  19th  June  till  the  8th  Au- 

gust. Watches  brought  from  Germany  to  England. 
Hungary  invaded  by  the  Turks.  Cervantes,  ob. 
1620,  set.  69. 

1598.  Tyrone’s  insurrection  in  Ireland.  The  edict  of 

Nantes  issued  in  April.  The  peace  of  Yervins, 
June  2d.  President  de  Thou,  ob.  1617,  set.  64. 

1599.  A comet  appears.  Sir  H.  Saville,  ob.  1622,  set.  72. 

1600.  The  Gowrie  conspiracy.  The  English  East  India 

company  established.  The  battle  of  Newport,  July 
2d.  A variable  star  in  the  neck  of  the  Swan  dis- 
covered by  Jansenius.  England  first  obtains  posses- 
sion of  St.  Helena.  William  Camden,  ob.  1632, 
set.  72. 

Seventeenth  Century. 

1601.  The  siege  of  Ostend  commences,  June  25th.  Ireland 

invaded  by  the  Spaniards,  Sept.  21th.  Francis  Ba- 
con, ob.  1626,  set.  66. 

1602.  A comet  appears  in  Cygnus.  Byron’s  conspiracy  de- 

tected. Decimal  arithmetic  invented  at  Bruges. 
Father  Paul  Sarpi,  ob.  1623,  set.  71. 

1603.  Manufactures  of  crystal  established  in  France.  Queen 

Elizabeth  dies,  March  24th,  set.  70.  Union  of  the 
crowns  of  England  and  Scotland.— The  earl  of  Es- 
sex, who  had  been  a great  favorite  with  Elizabeth, 
falling  into  disgrace,  yielded  himself  up  to  the 
sway  of  his  violent  passions  and  conspired  against 
her,  which  was  discovered  by  the  queen,  who  was 
still  more  provoked  by  his  saying  “ that  she  was 
now  grown  an  old  woman,  and  become  as  crooked 
in  her  mind  as  in  her  body.”  She  could  not  endure 
a reflection  on  her  beauty,  even  at  the  age  of  70. 
It  was  the  purpose  of  Essex  to  have  seized  on  the 
queen’s  person,  and  to  have  changed  the  govern- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


157 


ment.  He  was  tried,  and  convicted  of  high-treason  ; 
and  the  queen  very  reluctantly  signed  the  warrant 
for  his  execution,  which  took  place  privately  at  the 
tower,  February  25th,  1601,  in  the  35th  year  of  his 
age.  Elizabeth  considered  the  fact  of  his  not  hav- 
ing solicited  her  pardon  as  a proof  of  his  obstinacy, 
though  she  was  deceived  in  regard  to  it. 

After  the  death  of  Essex,  Elizabeth  became  a prey  to 
the  most  profound  and  incurable  melancholy.  She 
fled  all  society,  continuing  alone  and  in  the  dark, 
where  she  would  be  found  buried  in  thought  and 
drowned  in  tears.  It  was  the  common  opinion  that 
this  was  owing  to  the  death  of  Essex,  whose  name 
she  never  mentioned  without  tears,  and  frequently 
reproached  his  obstinacy,  as  she  would  no  doubt 
have  pardoned  him  on  an  humble  supplication,  which 
the  following  anecdote  will  fully  explain. 

The  countess  of  Nottingham  on  her  death.bed  desired 
an  audience  of  the  queen,  from  whom  Elizabeth  as- 
certained that  a ring,  which  she  had  given  to  Essex 
when  in  high  favor,  with  the  promise  that  if  he  ever 
fell  under  her  displeasure,  on  his  remitting  this  to- 
ken, he  should  be  entitled  to  her  protection,  was  sent 
by  Essex,  but  never  delivered.  The  earl  of  Not- 
tingham being  an  enemy  of  Essex,  had  forbidden  his 
wife  to  deliver  the  ring  to  Elizabeth.  The  countess 
having  made  this  disclosure,  implored  the  queen’s 
forgiveness,  when  Elizabeth,  starting  up  in  an  agony, 
is  said  to  have  shaken  the  dying  countess  in  her  bed, 
exclaiming  with  vehemence,  “ God  may  forgive  you, 
but  I never  can.”  From  this  period  the  melancholy 
of  the  queen  became  more  intense,  and  her  decline 
more  rapid,  and  after  naming  James  VI.  of  Scot- 
land, the  son  of  the  unfortunate  Mary,  as  her  suc- 
cessor, she  fell  into  a lbthargic  slumber,  and  expired 
without  a struggle  or  convulsion,  in  the  70th  year  of 
her  age,  and  45th  of  her  reign,  having  been  more 
glorious  as  a sovereign  than  amiable  as  a woman. 
During  her  reign,  the  militia  who  appeared  at  the 
musters,  amounted  to  1,172,674.  She  left  42  ships 
of  war,  of  which  only  four  carried  40  guns  each  ; 
the  whole  number  of  cannon  in  the  fleet  ajnountipg 

14 


158  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

to  774.  The  nobility  began  to  erect  houses  of  brick 
and  stone.  James  VI.  of  Scotland,  who  succeeded 
Elizabeth,  became  James  I.  of  England,  and  the  two 
kingdoms  have  continued  ever  since  united.  Gru- 
terus,  ob.  1627,  set.  67. 

1604.  Ostend  taken  by  the  Spaniards  after  a siege  of  three 

years,  Sept.  10.  Peace  between  England  and 
Spain.  The  celebrated  dispute  between  the  Pope 
and  the  Venetians.  A French  colony  established  in 
Canada.  Kepler  discovers  a new  star  near  the  right 
foot  of  Serpentarius,  in  September,  which  disap- 
peared in  the  space  of  a year.  Malsherbes,  ob. 
1628,  set.  76. 

1605.  The  gunpowder  plot,  Nov.  5th.  Coaches  began  to  be 

in  common  use  in  England.  Marini,  ob.  1625,  set. 
56. 

1606.  A truce  of  twenty  years  between  the  empire  and  the 

Ottoman  Porte. — -Virginia  was  divided,  and  by  letters 
patent  the  southern  part  was  granted  to  Sir  Thomas 
Gates  and  otheng,  called  the  London  company  ; the 
northern  part  was  granted  to  the  Plymouth  company, 
April  10th.  Papirius  Masso,  ob.  1611. 

1607.  A comet  appeared.  Hudson’s  Bay  discovered. — Cap- 

tain Newport  arrived  in  Virginia  and  began  the  first 
effectual  settlement  on  the  river  Powhatan,  since 
called  James  river,  and  founded  Jamestown,  April 
26.  Boccalini. 

1608.  Colonies  sent  to  Virginia  from  England. — Capt.  John 

Smith  first  explored  Chesapeake  bay.  Quebec 
founded  by  Samuel  Champlain.  Mr.  Robinson’s 
congregation  migrated  from  England  to  Holland. 

1609.  A truce  between  the  Dutch  and  Spaniards.  The 

United  Provinces  acknowledged  independent,  March 
30,  O.  S.  Mr.  Robinson’s  church  removed  to  Ley- 
den. Helvicus,  ob.  1617,  set.  36. 

1610.  The  Turks  defeated  near  Babylon  by  the  Persians. 

War  between  Russia  and  Poland.  Thermometers 
invented  by  Drebbel,  a Dutchman.  900,000  Moors 
banished  out  of  Spain.  Galileo  first  observed  three 
of  Jupiter’s  satellites,  Jan.  7.  Galileo,  ob.  1642, 
set.  78.  Harriot  first  observed  the  spots  on  the  sun, 
Dec.  8th.  Andrew  du  Chesne,  ob.  1640.  Captain 


OF  THE  WORLD.  159 

A.  D. 

Henry  Hudson  discovered  the  river  Manhattan, 
which  bears  his  name.  He  also  discovered  the  bay 
in  the  north  part  of  North  America  which  was 
named  from  him.  His  crew  mutinied  and  set  him 
afloat  in  an  open  boat,  and  he  perished. 

1611.  War  between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  The  order  of 

Baronets  instituted  in  England,  May  22d.  An 
earthquake  at  Constantinople  : 200,000  persons  died 
there  of  the  plague.  Peace  between  the  Persians 
and  the  Turks.  Champlain  discovered,  and  named 
Lake  Champlain.  Lopez  de  Vega,  ob.  1635,  set. 
72. 

1612.  The  Poles  defeated  by  the  Russians  in  Muscovy. 

The  English  attempt,  without  success,  to  discover  a 
northern  passage  to  China.  The  French  settle  in 
the  island  of  Margna.  Ben  Jonson,  ob.  1638. 

1613.  Peace  between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  Rolfe  married 

Pocahontas,  the  daughter  of  Powhatan,  who  being 
instructed  in  Christianity,  shortly  after  professed  it, 
and  was  baptized  by  the  name  of  Rebecca.  John 
Kepler,  ob.  1630. 

1614.  A British  colony  established  in  Virginia.  Capt.  Smith 

made  a fishing  voyage  to  the  north  part  of  America, 
made  a chart  of  the  coast,  which  he  presented  to 
Prince  Charles,  afterwards  Charles  I.,  who  gave  the 
country  the  name  of  New  England.  A new  gov- 
ernor from  Amsterdam  arriving  at  the  settlement  on 
Hudson  river,  he  refused  the  acknowledgment  to 
the  English,  stipulated  by  his  predecessor,  built  a 
fort  on  the  south  end  of  Manhattan  island,  where 
New  York  now  stands,  and  a fort  and  trading-house, 
called  Fort  Orange,  near  where  Albany  is  now 
situated. 

1615.  Peace  between  the  Imperialists  and  the  Turks.  The 

Jews  ordered  to  quit\France.  John  Barclay,  ob. 
1621,  set.  38. 

1616.  A civil  war  in  France.  Flushing  restored  by  king 

James  to  the  Dutch.  Cape  Horn  first  sailed  round. 
Sir  Robert  Cotton,  ob.  1631,  set.  61. 

1617.  Peace  between  Russia  and  Sweden.  Peace  between 

the  house  of  Austria  and  the  Venetians.  Domini- 
quino,  ob.  1641,  set.  60. 


CHRONOLOGY 


160 

A.  D. 

1618.  Peace  concluded  between  Russia  and  Poland.  Two 

comets  appeared.  A horrible  conspiracy  at  Venice 
detected.  The  battle  of  Ardeville  between  the  Per- 
sians and  Turks.  The  Synod  of  Dort  begins  No- 
vember 1,  and  continues  till  April  26,  1619.  A great 
pestilence,  (perhaps  the  yellow  fever,)  destroyed 
most  of  the  Indians  from  Narraganset  to  Penobscot. 
Fabri  de  Peiresc,  ob.  1637,  set.  57. 

1619.  The  circulation  of  the  blood  discovered  by  Harvey, 

ob.  1657,  set.  80.  Capt.  Dermer,  the  first  English- 
man who  sailed  through  Long  Island  sound  and  Hell- 
gate.  A war  of  thirty  years  begins  in  Germany, 
Aug.  26. 

1620.  A mass  of  iron  weighing  160  tolahs,  fell  from  the 

heavens  in  the  Mogul  territory,  about  100  miles 
south-east  of  Lahore.  The  English  settle  at  Madras. 
Copper  money  first  used  in  England.  Barbadoes 
discovered.  The  imperialists  defeat  the  Bohemians 
at  Prague,  Oct.  30,  O.  S.  Navarre  united  to  France. 
Coining  with  a die  first  used  in  England.  The  first 
colonial  assembly  held  in  Virginia,  June  19.  Mr. 
Robinson’s  congregation  left  Holland  in  the  May- 
flower of  180  tons  burden,  and  the  Speedwell  of  60 
tons,  in  July,  and  England  in  September,  for  Amer- 
ica, and  arrived  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  in  November, 
and  landed  Dec.  11th,  O.  S.,  which  is  Dec.  22d  N.  S., 
from  which  latter  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  is  dated, 
and  the  anniversary  of  this  great  event  is  celebrated. 
Guido  Rheni,  ob.  1642,  set.  67. 

1621.  War  between  Spain  and  Holland  renewed  after  a truce 

of  12  years.  Civil  war  with  the  Huguenots,  lasts  9 
years.  War  between  Turkey  and  Poland.  The 
Dutch  establish  the  settlement  of  Batavia.  The  fac- 
tions of  Whigs  and  Tories  arise.  Gaspar  Barthius, 
ob.  1648,  set.  71. 

1622'.  Heidelberg  taken  by  the  Emperor,  and  the  library 
sent  to  Rome,  Sept.  16.  Charter  of  New  England 
granted  to  the  Duke  of  Lenox  and  others,  or  the 
council  of  Plymouth,  Nov.  23.  Peter  Paul  Rubens, 
ob.  1640,  set.  63. 

1623.  The  knights  of  Nova  Scotia  instituted.  The  English 
factory  at  Amboyna  massacred  by  the  Dutch.  Sir 


OF  THE  WORLD.  161 

A.  D. 

Henry  Spelman,  ob.  1641.  First  settlement  of  New 
Hampshire,  at  Little  Harbor  on  Piscataqua  river, 
near  Portsmouth. 

1624.  The  Dutch  defeat  the  Spanish  fleet  near  Lima.  Bag- 

dad besieged  by  the  Turks,  who  are  repulsed.  The 
first  cattle  brought  into  New  England  at  Plymouth, 
by  Edward  Winslow.  Cardinal  Bentivoglio,  ob. 
1644,  set.  65. 

1625.  A pestilence  in  England.  King  James  dies  at  Theo- 

balds, March  27,  set.  59.  Dissensions  between 
Charles  I.  and  the  House  of  Commons.  The  first 
English  settlement  in  the  West  Indies.  Breda  taken 
by  the  Spaniards.  Peace  between  Ferdinand  of 
Hungary  and  the  Sultan.  John  Meursius,  ob.  1639, 
set.  60. 

1626.  Peace  between  the  Huguenots  and  the  French  king, 

Feb.  5,  N.  S.  War  renewed  the  following  year. 
A league  of  the  Protestant  princes  against  the  Em- 
peror. Gerard  John  Vossius,  ob.  1650,  set.  73. 

1627.  A meteoric  stone  weighing  59  pounds,  fell  on  Mount 

Yaiser  in  Provence,  on  the  27th  Nov.  War  between 
England  and  France.  Ericius  Puteanus,  ob.  1646, 
set.  72. 

1628.  A meteoric  stone  weighing  24  pounds,  fell  at  Hatford 

in  Berkshire,  on  the  9th  April.  Grant  of  Massa- 
chusetts by  the  council  of  Plymouth,  in  England, 
March  19.  Persia  invaded  by  the  Turks.  The 
Duke  of  Buckingham  murdered,  Aug.  23.  Louis 
XIII.  takes  Rochelle,  Oct.  18,  O.  S.  Ouevedo,  ob. 
1647. 

1629.  Parliament  dissolved  by  Charles  I.  Nine  members  im 

prisoned,  Mar.  4.  Charter  from  the  crown  confirming 
the  Plymouth  grant,  and  erecting  the  Massachusetts 
company  into  a corporation,  May  4th.  Peace  be- 
tween Denmark  and\Germany.  A truce  between 
Poland  and  Sweden  for  6 years,  Sept.  5,  O.  S.  Car- 
olina granted  to  Sir  Robert  Heath,  Oct.  30th.  Gus- 
tavus  Adolphus  enters  Germany.  Peace  between 
England  and  France.  Bahama  isles  discovered. 
Inigo  Jones,  ob.  1651. 

1630.  Gazettes  first  published  in  Venice.  Treaty  of  Stock- 

holm between  England  and  Sweden,  May  31.  War 
14* 


CHRONOLOGY 


162 
A.  D. 

between  Germany  and  Spain.  Poland  invaded  by 
the  Turks.  Grotius,  ob.  1645,  set.  62.  Charles- 
town, Boston,  Watertown,  and  Dorchester,  settled  by 
Gov.  Winthrop  and  others. 

1631.  A treaty  between  Sweden  and  France,  Jan.  13,  O.  S. 

The  council  of  Plymouth  granted  lands  to  settlers 
on  Pemaquid  river  in  Maine,  Feb.  29.  Some  curi- 
ous remains  of  an  ancient  settlement  are  now  found 
at  this  place.  The  Swedes  defeat  the  Imperialists 
at  the  battle  of  Leipsic,  Aug.  28,  O.  S.  The  ver- 
nier index  first  made  known.  Clocks  and  watches 
generally  used.  Archbishop  Usher,  ob.  1655,  set.  75. 

1632.  Patent  of  Connecticut  from  the  Earl  of  Warwick, 

March  19.  First  vessel  built  in  Massachusetts, 
called  the  “Blessing  of  the  Bay,”  launched  July  4. 
Grant  of  Maryland  to  lord  Baltimore,  June  20.  War 
between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  Battle  of  Lutzen, 
Nov.  6,  O.  S.,  where  Gustavus  Adolphus  is  killed.  A 
great  eruption  of  Vesuvius.  Antigua  settled  by  the 
English.  Gab.  Naude,  ob.  1653. 

1633.  Galileo  condemned  by  the  inquisition.  The  French 

discovered  Louisiana.  Anthony  Vandyck,  ob.  1641, 
set.  42.  The  Dutch  built  a fort  on  the  west  bank 
of  Connecticut  river,  in  the  present  city  of  Hartford, 
at  a place  still  known  as  Dutch  Point. 

1634.  War  between  Poland  and  Prussia.  The  Swedes  de- 

feated by  the  king  of  Hungary,  at  the  battle  of  Nord- 
lingen,  Nov.  26,  O.  S.  Wethersfield,  the  oldest  town 
in  Connecticut,  settled  by  people  from  Watertown, 
Mass.  John  Seklen,  ob.  1654,  set.  70. 

1635.  The  French  academy  established  at  Paris.  War  be- 

tween France  and  Spain.  A treaty  between  Holland 
and  France,  Feb.  8.  Regular  posts  established  in 
Britain.  Windsor,  Conn.,  settled  by  people  from 
Dorchester.  Hartford  settled  by  Mr.  Hooker  and 
his  congregation  from  Newtown,  now  Cambridge, 
Mass.  Gassendi,  ob.  1655,  set.  66. 

1636.  A meteoric  stone  fell  between  Sagan  and  Dubrow  in 

Silesia,  in  March  8.  A treaty  between  Louis  XIII. 
and  the  queen  of  Sweden,  March  10,  O.  S.  A truce 
of  26  years  between  Sweden  and  Poland.  The  Im- 
perialists defeated  by  the  Swedes  at  Wistock,  Oct.  4, 


OF  THE  WORLD.  163 

A.  D. 

O.  S.  Roger  Williams  settled  and  named  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.  Renes  Descartes,  ob.  1650,  set.  54. 
1637.  The  Scots  withdraw  their  allegiance  from  Charles  I. 
War  between  the  Poles  and  the  Cossacs  in  the 
Ukraine.  A league  against  Sweden  between  Spain 
and  Denmark.  An  insurrection  of  the  Protestants 
in  Hungary.  The  prince  of  Orange  takes  Breda, 
Sept  26,  O.  S.  The  Pequod  Indians  commit  depre- 
dations and  are  destroyed  by  Connecticut,  May  26. 
Famianus  Strada,  ob.  1649. 

1638*  Bagdad  taken  by  the  Turks,  Jan.  6.  Two  battles  of 
Rheinfeld,  Feb.  18  and  21,  O.  S.  The  solemn 
league  and  covenant  in  Scotland.  Rhode  Island 
settled  by  Mr.  Coddington,  March  24.  New  Haven 
settled  by  Rev.  John  Davenport  and  Theophilus 
Eaton  the  first  governor,  who  have  been  styled  the 
“ Moses  and  Aaron”  of  the  colony,  April.  Harvard 
College  (now  University)  was  founded  at  Newtown, 
now  Cambridge,  and  named  after  a liberal  early 
benefactor,  Rev.  John  Harvard.  Oliver  Cromwell, 
Sir  Arthur  Hazlerig,  and  John  Hampden,  were  on 
the  point  of  embarking  for  America,  to  secure  civil 
and  religious  liberty,  when  they  were  prevented  by 
order  of  the  king.  If  he  could  have  foreseen  the 
events  which  were  to  follow,  he  would  have  been 
glad  to  let  them  go.  Petavius,  ob.  1652,  set.  69. 

1639.  The  French  defeated  at  Thionville  by  the  Imperialists. 

May  27,  O.  S.  Horrox  first  observed  a transit  of 
Venus  over  the  sun’s  disk  at  Liverpool,  Nov.  24, 
O.  S.  3h  15'  P.  M.  Voiture,  ob.  1648. 

1640.  England  invaded  by  the  Scots,  Aug.  20,  O.  S.,  who 

take  Newcastle.  A conference  between  the  English 
and  Scots  commissioners  at  Rippon,  Oct.  2.  The 
independence  of  Portugal  recovered.  The  long 
parliament  in  England  met,  Nov.  5.  Balzac,  ob. 
1654. 

1641.  Maine  granted  to  Sir  F.  Gorges.  First  printing  press 

in  America  established  at  Cambridge,  Mass.  Origi- 
nal constitution  of  Connecticut  established,  Jan.  14. 
Code  of  laws  first  established  in  Massachusetts.  New 
Hampshire  united  with  Mass.,  April  14.  Earl  of 
Strafford  beheaded,  May  12.  The  massacre  of  the 


164 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


Protestants  in  Ireland,  Oct.  23.  Chillingworth,  ob. 
1644,  set.  42. 

1642.  A meteoric  stone,  weighing  4 pounds,  fell  near  Wood- 

bridge  in  Suffolk,  on  the  4th  of  August.  Peace  be- 
tween the  Turks  and  the  Imperialists.  The  Swedes 
defeat  the  Imperialists  at  Leipsic,  Oct.  3,  O.  S. 
King  Charles  demands  the  five  members,  and  the 
civil  war  begins.  His  army  defeated  at  Edgehill, 
Oct.  23.  The  French  defeated  by  the  Imperialists 
at  Tutelingen,  Nov.  15,  O.  S.  Salmasius,  ob.  1653. 

1643.  Bristol  surrenders  to  prince  Rupert,  July  26.  The 

siege  of  Gloucester  raised,  Sept.  5.  Charles  de- 
feated at  the  first  battle  of  Newbury,  Sept.  20.  The 
Tartars  invade  China.  The  royal  academy  of  paint- 
ing founded  by  Louis  XIV.  Barometers  invented 
by  Torricelli.  The  prince  of  Conde  defeats  the 
Spaniards  at  Rocroy,  May  9,  O.  S.  Waller’s  plot 
in  England  detected,  May  31.  Confederation  of 
Massachusetts,  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  New 
Haven,  for  defence.  Nicholas  Poussin,  ob.  1656* 
set.  62. 

1644.  The  Tartars  effect  a revolution  in  China.  The  Im- 

perialists defeated  by  the  Swedes  in  Bohemia,  Feb. 
25,  O.  S.  The  Earl  of  Warwick  incorporated  the 
settlers  of  Providence,  Newport,  &c.,  March  14. 
Cromwell  defeats  Charles  I.  at  Marstonmoor,  July  2. 
Earl  of  Essex’s  army  surrenders  in  Cornwall,  Sept.  2+ 
The  2d  battle  of  Newbury,  Oct.  27.  The  Duke  of 
Orleans  takes  Gravelines,  July  18,  N.  S.  Mothe  le 
Vayer,  ob.  1671. 

1645.  War  between  the  Venetians  and  Turks.  Charles  I. 

defeated  at  Naseby,  June  14.  The  fate  of  Charles 
and  of  the  monarchy  was  decided  at  Naseby  in 
Northamptonshire.  The  royal  army  was  command- 
ed by  the  king  in  person,  aided  by  prince  Rupert ; 
Fairfax,  Cromwell,  and  Ireton,  his  son-in-law,  com- 
manded the  Parliamentarians.  The  royalists,  though 
at  first  successful,  were  entirely  driven  off  the  field, 
and  a total  route  ensued,  in  which  Charles  lost  his 
artillery  and  baggage,  and  above  five  thousand  men 
fell  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  In  addition  to  the 
spoils,  the  royal  cabinet  was  seized,  in  which  were 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


165 


found  copies  of  the  monarch’s  letters  to  his  queen, 
which  were  subsequently  read  aloud  in  parliament, 
and  such  of  them  were  subsequently  published  as 
were  calculated  to  make  him  unpopular  with  the 
people.  Peace  between  Sweden  and  Denmark, 
Aug.  3,  O.  S.  The  first  code  of  Russian  laws  pub- 
lished. Treves  taken  by  Turenne.  Duke  de  Roche- 
foucault,  ob.  1680,  set.  68. 

1646.  A shower  of  rain,  containing  great  quantities  of  sul- 

phur, fell  at  Copenhagen.  The  Venetians  defeated 
by  the  Turks  near  Retimo,  Oct.  9,  O.  S.  Paul 
Scarron,  ob.  1660. 

1647.  A comet  appears  near  Berenice’s  Hair.  Charles  I. 

delivered  up  to  the  English  commissioners  by  the  Scots, 
Jan.  30.  Charles,  closely  pursued  by  his  enemies, 
and  fearful  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  his  insolent 
subjects,  took  the  fatal  resolution  of  surrendering 
himself  to  the  Scottish  army,  who,  to  their  great  dis- 
grace, sold  him  to  the  English  parliament  for  the 
sum  of  400,000  pounds  sterling.  Henry  Hammond, 
ob.  1660,  set.  55. 

1648.  The  peace  of  Munster  between  Holland  and  Spain, 

Jan.  20,  O.  S.  The  Seven  United  Provinces  de- 
clared independent.  The  Imperialists  defeated  by 
Turenne  at  Augsburg,  April  7,  O.  S.  The  prince 
of  Conde  defeats  the  archduke  at  Lens,  Aug.  10, 
O.  S.  Peace  of  Munster  between  France  and  the 
emperor,  Oct.  14,  O.  S.  The  peace  of  Osnaburgh 
between  Sweden  and  the  emperor.  Thomas  Hobbes, 
ob.  1679,  set.  91. 

1649.  King  Charles  I.  beheaded,  Jan.  30,  set.  49.  Charles 

having  been  removed  to  London,  was  arraigned  be- 
fore a regicide  tribunal,  composed  of  133  members, 
of  whom  scarcely  70  ever  met  together  on  the  trial. 
It  was  presided  over  by  Bradshaw,  a lawyer,  and 
consisted  mostly  of  military  men,  devoted  to  Crom- 
well, who  was  one  of  the  judges.  The  deportmenl 
of  the  king  on  the  occasion  was  temperate  and  dig- 
nified. He  steadily  refused  to  acknowledge  the  juris- 
diction of  the  court,  and  bore  with  fortitude  and  gen- 
tleness the  insults  and  bitter  reproaches  which  were 
heaped  upon  him.  After  witnesses  had  been  intro  * 


CHRONOLOGY 


166 

A.  I 

duced  to  prove  that  the  king  had  waged  war  against 
the  parliament,  he  was  pronounced  guilty  of  high 
treason,  and  sentenced  to  be  beheaded.  The  warrant 
for  his  execution  was  signed  by  59  of  his  judges. 

The  king  spent  the  three  days  that  intervened  between 
the  sentence  and  its  execution  in  the  society  of  his 
children,  and  in  pious  conversation  with  Dr.  Juxton, 
the  existing  bishop  of  London.  On  the  fatal  day  he 
ascended  the  scaffold  with  firmness  and  composure ; 
and  after  justifying  his  conduct  in  the  late  war,  he 
laid  his  head  upon  the  block,  and  at  one  blow  it  was 
severed  from  his  body,  in  the  49th  year  of  his  age, 
and  the  24th  of  his  reign.  Like  all  the  Stuarts,  he 
seems  to  have  had  a high  idea  of  the  prerogatives  of 
royalty,  and  to  have  been  a misguided  man,  whose 
intentions  were  better  than  his  judgment.  The  na- 
tion was  variously  affected  by  his  death  ; the  Scotch, 
perhaps,  troubled  that  they  had,  for  a sum  of  money, 
betrayed  him  to  the  parliament,  were  inclined  to 
acknowledge  his  son  Charles  II.  as  monarch ; but 
the  Parliament  prevailed,  and  the  Commonwealth 
was  established,  of  which  Cromwell  at  length  became 
the  head,  as  Protector.  A civil  war  in  Paris,  which 
is  blockaded  by  the  prince  of  Conde.  A league  be- 
tween Denmark  and  the  United  Provinces.  Galileo 
first  applied  the  pendulum  to  clocks ; see  1656. 
Samuel  Bochart,  ob.  1667. 

1650.  Battle  of  Dunbar,  in  which  the  Scots  are  defeated  by 

Cromwell,  Sept.  3.  Mezeray,  ob.  1683,  set.  73. 

1651.  Battle  of  Worcester,  in  which  Cromwell  defeats 

Charles  II.,  Sept.  3.  The  Venetians  defeat  the  Turk- 
ish fleet  near  Scio,  June  12,  O.  S.  The  Poles  defeat 
300,000  Tartars,  June  20.  Dr.  John  Wallis,  ob. 
1703,  set.  87.  Archibald,  marquis  of  Argyle,  ob. 
1661,  set.  63. 

1652.  The  war  between  the  English  and  Dutch  begins, 

May  19.  Naval  battle  between  the  English  and 
Dutch  near  Plymouth,  Aug.  16.  Van  Tromp  de- 
feats the  English  fleet  in  the  Downs,  Nov.  29.  Van 
Tromp  with  80  Dutch  ships  fell  upon  Blake  with  40 
English  vessels  in  the  Downs,  when  six  of  the  latter 
were  taken  and  the  rest  forced  into  the  Thames, 


OF  THU  WORLD,  167 

A.  D. 

after  which  Van  Tromp  sailed  through  the  channel 
with  a birch-broom  at  the  top-mast  head,  in  token  of 
haying  sivept  the  British  Channel,  A comet  appear- 
ed. The  Dutch  establish  a colony  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  J.  Fred.  Gronovius,  ob.  1671,  set.  58. 
Chancellor  Seguier,  ob.  1672,  set.  84. 

1653.  A naval  engagement  between  the  English  and  Dutch 

on  the  coast  of  France,  Feb.  18,  in  which  the  Eng- 
glish  were  victorious,  having  destroyed  11  Dutch 
men  of  war,  and  captured  30  merchantmen.  They 
achieved  a second  victory  off  North  Foreland,  June  3. 
Cromwell  dissolves  Parliament,  April  20.  The  Eng- 
lish defeat  the  Dutch  in  a sea  fight  on  the  coast  of 
Flanders,  June  3 ; and  again  near  the  Texel,  July 
29.  Cromwell  proclaimed  protector,  Dec.  16,  ob. 
1658,  set.  60.  Blaise  Pascal,  ob.  1662,  set.  39. 

1654.  Peace  between  Holland  and  England,  April  5.  Air 

pump  invented  by  Otto  Guericke  of  Magdeburg. 
John  Milton,  ob.  1674,  set.  66.  Admiral  Blake,  ob. 
1657,  ©t.  59. 

1655.  Admiral  Penn  takes  Jamaica,  May  7.  Blake  destroys 

the  Spanish  galleons  at  Santa  Cruz.  The  Venetians 
defeat  the  Turks  in  a naval  battle  at  the  Dardanelles, 
June  11,  O.  S.  Huygens  discovers  the  fourth  satel- 
lite of  Saturn,  March  25.  Peace  between  England 
and  France,  Oct.  25.  War  between  Sweden  and 
Poland.  Thomas  Bartholin,  ob.  1680,  set.  64. 

1656.  Treaty  between  the  king  of  Sweden  and  the  elector  of 

Brandenburg,  Jan.  11,  O.  S.  England  declares  war 
against  Spain,  Feb.  16.  The  Poles  defeated  by  the 
Swedes  in  three  battles  at  Warsaw,  July  18,  19,  and 
20,  O.  S.  Pendulums  said  to  have  been  applied  to 
clocks  by  Fromantil;  see  1649.  Edmund  Waller, 
ob.  1687,  set.  82.  Marshal  Turenne,  ob.  1675,  set.  64. 

1657.  War  between  Denmark  and  Sweden.  A treaty  be- 

tween the  king  of  Poland  and  the  elector  of  Branden- 
burg, Sept.  9,  O.  S.  Peter  Corneille,  ob.  1684, 
set.  78. 

1658.  A shower  of  sulphur  fell  in  the  duchy  of  Mansfield. 

Turenne  defeats  the  Spaniards,  and  takes  Dunkirk, 
June  17.  Dunkirk  delivered  to  the  English.  Hookes’ 
watch  with  a balance-spring  invented.  J.  Baptista 


CHRONOLOGY 


168 

A.  D. 

Poquelin  Moliere,  ob.  1672.  Admiral  de  Ruyter, 
ob.  1676,  set.  60. 

1659.  Peace  of  the  Pyrenees  between  France  and  Spain, 

Oct.  28,  O.  S.  Du  Cange,  ob.  1685,  set.  58. 

1660.  Peace  between  Denmark  and  Sweden,  March  17,  O.  S. 

The  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  May  29.  Peace  be- 
tween Sweden,  Poland,  and  the  empire,  May  8. 
The  king  of  Denmark  declared  absolute,  and  the 
throne  hereditary,  Oct.  13,  O.  S.  Algernon  Syd- 
ney, ob.  1683,  set.  66.  General  Monk,  duke  of  Al- 
bemarle, ob.  1670,  set.  62. 

1661.  A treaty  between  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch.  A 

treaty  of  commerce  between  Great  Britain  and 
Sweden,  Oct.  21.  The  Portuguese  cede  Bombay  to 
England.  A comet  appeared.  Franking  letters 
began  ; abridged  in  1764  and  1775.  Sir  John  Mar- 
sham,  ob.  1685,  set.  83. 

1662.  The  Royal  Society  established,  July  15.  Dunkirk 

restored  to  the  French.  Charles  II.  granted  a char- 
ter to  Connecticut,  incorporating  New  Haven  with  it, 
April  23.  Samuel  Butler,  ob.  1680,  set.  68. 

1663.  Two  meteoric  stones,  one  weighing  200  and  the  other 

300  pounds,  fell  at  Verona.  Gregorian  telescopes 
invented  before  this.  Charles  II.  confirmed  the  char- 
ter of  Massachusetts  by  letter,  June  28.  Charter  of 
Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations,  granted, 
July  8.  A great  earthquake  in  Canada  and  New 
England,  Jan.  26.  The  grant  of  Carolina  to  the 
Earl  of  Clarendon  and  7 others,  March  24.  The 
Royal  Academy  of  Inscriptions  and  Belles-lettres 
established.  The  Spaniards  defeated  by  the  Portu- 
guese near  Evora.  Prussia  declared  independent 
of  Poland.  Charles  le  Brun,  ob.  1690,  set.  71. 

1664.  War  between  the  English  and  Dutch.  Treaty  of  Pisa 

between  the  king  of  France  and  the  pope,  Feb.  2, 
O.  S.  The  French  defeat  the  Turks  in  Hungary, 
July  22.  Observatory  at  Paris  founded.  Battle  of 
St.  Godard,  July  22.  The  academy  for  sculpture 
established  in  France,  Aug.  31.  A comet  appeared. 
New  Haven  consented  to  a union  with  Connecticut, 
December.  Lewis  Maimbourg,  ob.  1686,  set.  77. 

1665.  War  between  England  and  France.  A comet  ap- 


OF  THE  WORLD.  169 

4.  D. 

peared.  The  English  defeat  the  Dutch  in  a naval 
battle  near  Harwich,  June  3.  Rev.  John  Elliot’s 
Indian  Bible  completed  and  printed.  New  Nether- 
lands taken  from  the  Dutch  and  granted  by  patent  to 
the  duke  of  York,  March  12.  The  duke  of  York  re- 
leased to  Lord  Berkley  and  Sir  George  Carteret,  the 
territory  of  New  Jersey,  June  24.  Sir  J.  Yeamans 
settled  on  the  southern  bank  of  Cape  Fear  river,  with 
a colony  from  Barbadoes.  The  plague  raged  in 
London.  The  magic  lantern  invented  by  Kireher. 
The  Spaniards  defeated  by  the  Portuguese  at  Villa 
Viciosa,  June  7,  O.  S.  Ralph  Cudworth,  ob.  1688, 
aet.  71. 

1666.  A comet  was  seen  at  Ceylon.  A naval  engagement 

between  the  English  and  Dutch  near  Dunkirk,  June 
1,  4.  The  English  defeat  the  Dutch  fleet  near  the 
Thames,  July  25  and  26.  A fire  in  London,  which 
extended  to  600  streets,  and  burnt  13,200  houses, 
Sept.  2.  The  English  settle  in  Antigua.  War  de- 
clared between  England  and  Denmark.  Academy 
of  sciences  established  in  France.  Giles  Menage, 
ob.  1692,  set.  79. 

1667.  A commercial  treaty  between  Britain  and  Spain,  May 

23.  The  treaty  of  Breda,  July  31.  War  between 
France  and  Spain.  Charles  de  St.  Evremond,  ob. 
1703,  set.  90. 

1668.  A comet  appeared  on  the  7th  March  in  Aries.  The 

Newtonian  telescope  invented  before  this : it  was  ex- 
hibited to  the  king  on  the  11th  Jan.,  1672.  A treaty 
of  commerce  between  Britain  and  Holland,  Feb.  17. 
The  triple  alliance  of  Britain,  Sweden,  and  Holland, 
against  France,  Jan.  23.  Peace  between  Portugal 
and  Spain,  after  26  years  of  war,  Feb.  3,  O.  S. 
Peace  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  between  Spain  and  France, 
April  22,  O.  S.  Massachusetts  resumed  the  gov- 
ernment of  Maine.  Benedict  de  Spinosa,  ob.  1678, 
set.  44. 

1669.  The  Turks  take  Candia,  Sept.  6,  O.  S.  A treaty  of 

commerce  between  Britain  and  Savoy,  Sept.  19. 
Huygens,  ob.  1695,  set.  66. 

1670.  A treaty  of  commerce  between  Britain  and  Denmark, 

July  11.  Peace  of  Madrid,  between  Britain  and 

15 


no 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


Spain,  July  18.  Hevelius  discovered  a new  star, 
July  15,  which  disappeared,  and  became  visible  in 

1672.  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  ob.  1723,  set.  91. 
1671#  Cassini  discovers  the  sixth  of  Saturn’s  satellites  in  Oc- 
tober. The  colony,  which,  under  Capt.  Sayle,  in 
1670,  had  been  settled  at  Port  Royal,  removed  and 
began  a settlement  on  the  bank  of  Ashley  river,  un- 
der Sir  J.  Yeamans,  which  was  called  old  Charleston. 
Isaac  Barrow,  ob.  1677,  set.  47. 

1672.  A comet  appears.  The  Cassegrainian  telescope  in- 

vented before  this.  France  declares  war  against  Hol- 
land, April  6.  England  declares  war  against  Hol- 
land, March  17.  War  between  the  Poles  and  Turks. 
A league  against  France  between  the  empire  and 
Holland,  July  15,  O.  S.  A severe  naval  battle  be- 
tween the  English  and  Dutch  in  Solebay,  May  28. 
Louis  XIV.  subdues  great  part  of  Holland.  The 
prince  of  Orange  made  stadtholder,  and  J.  de  Witt 
put  to  death,  Aug.  12.  Cassini  discovers  Saturn’s 
3d  satellite.  Sir  W.  Temple,  ob.  1700,  set.  72. 

1673.  The  Dutch  fieet  defeated  by  that  of  the  English  and 

French,  May  28,  June  14,  and  Aug.  11.  The  king 
of  France  makes  war  upon  Spain,  Oct.  9,  O.  S.  The 
Poles  defeat  the  Turks  near  Choczim,  Oct.  31.  Rene 
Rapin,  ob.  1687,  set.  66. 

1674.  Treaty  between  Britain,  Spain,  and  Holland,  Feb.  19. 

Sicily  revolts  from  Spain.  The  battle  of  LenefF  in 
Flanders,  Aug.  1,  O.  S.  The  French  first  settle  in 
the  East  Indies.  Academy  of  Soissons  established. 
The  Imperialists  defeated  at  Ensheim  by  Turenne, 
Sept.  24,  O.  S.,  at  Mulhausen,  Dec.  19,  O.  S.,  and 
at  Turkeim,  Dec.  27,  O.  S.  Treaty  between  Britain 
and  Holland,  at  London,  Dec.  11.  New  York  taken 
by  the  Dutch  in  1673,  was  restored,  and  confirmed 
to  the  English  by  treaty.  Dr.  Thomas  Sydenham, 
ob.  1689,  set.  66. 

1675.  War  between  Denmark  and  Sweden.  Turenne  passes 

the  Rhine,  and  is  opposed  by  Montecucli.  The  Swedes 
defeated  by  the  Prussians  at  Fehrbellin,  June  8,  O. 
S.  Battle  of  Altenheim,  July  22,  O.  S.  Treaty  be- 
tween Britain  and  Holland  at  the  Hague,  Dec.  30. 
Connecticut  laws  revised  in  1672,  were  first  printed 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


171 

A.  D. 

by  Mr.  Green  at  Cambridge,  Mass.  Robert  Boyle, 
ob.  1691,  set.  65. 

1676.  Meteoric  stones  fell  from  a ball  of  fire  into  the  sea, 

S.  S.  W.  of  Leghorn,  on  the  21st  of  May.  Carolina 
planted  by  English  merchants.  The  king  of  France 
makes  war  upon  Denmark,  Aug.  28.  The  French 
defeat  the  allied  fleet  at  Palermo,  May  23,  O.  S. 
Indian  war  in  New  England,  under  the  celebrated 
Indian  chief,  King  Philip,  occurred,  during  which  he 
was  killed,  Aug.  12.  The  royal  observatory  at 
Greenwich  built.  Samuel  Puffendorf,  ob.  1694,  set. 
63. 

1677.  Meteoric  stones  fell  at  Ermandorf,  near  Roosenhav-n, 

on  the  28th  May.  The  commercial  treaty  of  St. 
Germain,  between  Britain  and  France,  Feb.  24th. 
The  prince  of  Orange  defeated  near  Cassel  by  the 
French,  April  1,  O.  S.  The  Protestants  revolt  in 
Hungary.  A comet  appeared.  The  Danes  defeated 
by  the  Swedes  at  Landscroon,  Dec.  4,  O.  S.  Carlo 
Maratti,  ob.  1713,  set.  88. 

1678.  A singular  darkness  at  noon,  Jan.  12.  Alliance  of 

Westminster,  between  Britain  and  Holland,  March  3. 
Peace  of  Nimeguen,  between  France  and  Holland, 
July  31,  O.  S.  Peace  between  France  and  Spain, 
Sept.  17.  The  Tartars  attack  the  Russians.  A 
comet  appeared.  The  popish  plot  discovered  by 
Oaks,  Sept.  6.  Daniel  George  Morhoff,  ob.  1691, 
set.  53. 

1679.  The  long  parliament  of  England  dissolved,  Jan.  25. 

The  peace  of  Nimeguen,  between  Germany  and 
France,  signed  Jan.  26,  O.  S.  Peace  between  Den- 
mark and  Sweden,  Aug.  23,  O.  S.  An  engagement 
between  the  English  and  Moors,  which  continued  11 
days,  at  Tangier,  Nov.  7.  John  de  la  Bruyere,  ob. 
1696,  set.  57. 

1680.  Charles  XI.  declared  absolute.  A comet  appeared. 

Lord  Strafford  beheaded.  John  de  la  Fontaine,  ob. 
1695,  set.  74. 

1681.  A comet  appeared.  Dissensions  between  the  king  of 

England  and  parliament.  Penny  post  in  London  be- 
gan ; established  by  government  in  1711;  postage 
increased  to  2d.  in  1801.  Charter  of  Pennsylvania 


CHRONOLOGY 


172 

A.  D. 

granted  to  William  Penn,  March  4.  Sir  George 
Mackenzie,  ob.  1691,  set.  53.  James,  duke  of  Mom 
mouth,  ob.  1683,  set.  36. 

1682.  A comet  appears.  Bouhours,  ob.  1702,  set.  74.  Mar- 

shal Schomberg,  ob.  1690. 

1683.  The  Rye-house  plot  discovered,  June  14.  A.  comet 

appeared.  The  Turks  besiege  Vienna.  Lord  Rus- 
sel beheaded,  July  21st.  John  Dryden,  ob.  1701, 
set.  70. 

1684.  A truce  between  France  and  Spain.  The  duke  of 

Lorraine  defeats  150,000  Turks  at  Weitzen,  June 
17,  O.  S.  A comet  appeared.  Cassini  discovers  the 
1st  and  2d  satellites  of  Saturn,  in  March.  First  set- 
tlement of  Philadelphia,  Oct.  Charters  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  Rhode  Island  vacated.  Racine,  ob. 
1699,  set.  60.  George  Saville,  marquis  of  Halifax, 
ob.  1695,  set.  62. 

1685.  Revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantz,  Oct.  12,  O.  S.,  by 

Louis  XIV.,  by  which  the  Protestants  w^ere  violently 
persecuted,  and  the  king  lost  500,000  of  his  best 
subjects.  Commotions  in  England  and  Scotland. 
Duke  of  Monmouth  defeated  at  Sedgemore,  July  6. 
Charles  II.  dies,  Feb.  6,  set.  55.  Vauban,  ob.  1707, 
set.  74.  Boileau  Despreaux,  ob.  1711,  set.  75. 

1686.  The  Newtonian  philosophy  published.  An  embassy 

to  Louis  XIV.  from  the  king  of  Siam.  Albany  in- 
corporated. First  Episcopal  church  in  Boston  formed. 
The  grand  alliance  against  France  between  Britain, 
Germany,  and  Holland,  May  12.  A convention  be- 
tween Britain  and  Holland  against  France,  Aug.  22. 
The  league  of  Augsburgh  against  France,  July  11, 
O.  S.  A comet  appeared.  Humphrey  Prideaux,  ob. 
1724,  set.  77. 

1687.  Telegraphs  said  to  have  been  invented ; they  seem  to 

have  been  proposed  in  1663  by  the  marquis  of  Wor- 
cester. The  crown  of  Hungary  declared  hereditary 
in  the  house  of  Austria.  Sir  Edmond  Andros,  who 
had  been  appointed  by  the  king  governor-general  over 
New  England,  proceeded  in  October  to  Connecticut,, 
and  arrived  in  Hartford  with  a company  of  troops 
while  the  assembly  was  in  session,  and  demanded  a 
surrender  of  the  charter.  While  the  principal  offi- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


173 


cers  of  the  government  were  debating  with  Andros 
on  the  subject,  and  many  people  were  collected,  a 
garment  was  suddenly  thrown  over  the  candles,  by 
which  they  were  extinguished,  and  the  charter,  which 
lay  on  the  table,  was  seized  by  Mr.  Wadsworth  of 
Hartford,  conveyed  away  and  secreted  within  a large 
hollow  oak,  still  standing  before  the  ancient  seat  of 
the  Wyllis  family,  and  is  now  celebrated  as  the 
Charter  Oak . From  this  concealment  it  at  length 
came  forth,  and,  until  long  after  the  revolution,  it 
formed  the  only  constitution  of  the  government  of 
Connecticut,  and  it  may  now  be  seen  in  the  archives 
of  the  secretary  of  state  of  that  commonwealth. 
Grsevius,  ob.  1703. 

1688.  Smyrna  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  July  10.  The 

revolution  in  England  begins,  Nov.  5.  France 
makes  war  against  Holland,  Nov.  23,  O.  S.  Ab- 
dication of  King  James,  who  retires  to  France.  Dec. 
23.  The  Imperialists  take  Belgrade  by  assault.  A 
revolution  in  Siam.  Peter  Bayle,  ob.  1706,  set.  59. 

1689.  K.  William  and  Q.  Mary  proclaimed,  Feb.  16. 
James  II.,  with  an  army,  lands  in  Ireland.  The 
emperor  declares  war  against  France.  France 
makes  war  upon  Spain  and  England.  The  French 
fleet  defeated  at  Bantry-bay,  May  1.  The  grand  al- 
liance between  King  William,  the  emperor,  and  the 
states-general,  May  12.  King  William  defeated  at 
Killicrankie,  July  27.  Episcopacy  abolished  in 
Scotland,  July  22.  Falkland  islands  discovered. 
A treaty  between  China  and  Russia.  Louis  XIV. 
declares  war  against  Holland.  The  Imperialists  de- 
feat the  Turks  near  Patochin,  Aug  30  and  Sept.  24. 
A comet  appeared.  Andros  was  seized^  deposed,  and 
sent  to  England  for  trial,  which  was  avoided.  John 
Locke,  ob.  1704,  set.  70. 

1690.  Peace  between  the  czar  of  Moscovy  and  the  emperor 

of  China.  The  French,  under  Tourville,  defeat  the 
English  and  Dutch  in  a naval  battle  off  Beachy-head, 
June  30,  O.  S.  Luxembourg  defeats  the  allies  at 
Fleurus,  June  21.  King  William  defeats  James  II. 
at  the  Boyne,  July  1,  O.  S.  First  bills  of  credit  is- 
sued by  Massachusetts.  Schenectady  was  burned, 
15* 


CHRONOLOGY 


174 

A.  D. 

and  the  inhabitants  slain  or  scattered,  Feb.  8.  Bishop 
Stillingfleet,  ob.  1699,  set.  64. 

1691.  The  congress  at  the  Hague,  Jan.  Louis  XIV.  takes 

Mons,  March  30,  O.  S.  The  battle  of  Aghrim,  in 
Ireland,  July  12.  Termination  of  the  war  in  Ire- 
land by  the  surrender  of  Limerick,  Oct.  3.  The 
Imperialists  defeat  the  Turks,  Aug.  9,  O.  S.  A treaty 
of  union  between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  12,000 
Irish  Catholics  transported  to  France.  Archbishop 
Tillotson,  ob.  1694,  set.  65. 

1692.  The  English  fleet  defeats  the  French  off  La  Hogue, 

May  19.  Namur  besieged  and  taken  by  the  French, 
May  25.  Massacre  of  Glencoe,  Jan.  31.  The  Eng^ 
lish  defeated  by  Luxembourg,  at  Steinkirk,  July  24. 
Earthquakes  in  England  and  in  Jamaica,  Sept.  8. 
Massachusetts  obtained  a new  charter,  by  which 
Plymouth  was  annexed  to  that  colony.  Bishop  Bur- 
net, ob.  1715,  rot.  72. 

1693.  Mild  winter,  in  which  vessels  went  to  Albany  in  the 

month  of  Feb.  William  and  Mary  college,  in  Vir- 
ginia, founded.  The  English  and  the  Dutch  defeat- 
ed by  the  French,  in  a sea-fight  off  Cape  Vincent, 
June  16.  Order  of  St.  Louis  instituted.  The  al- 
lies defeated  by  Luxembourg,  at  Landen,  July  19. 
Battle  of  Marsiglia,  Sept.  24.  Bossuet,  ob.  1704, 
set.  78. 

1694.  Bank  of  England  incorporated.  Huy  taken,  Sept.  18. 

Messina  destroyed  by  an  earthquake.  The  Turks 
defeated  by  the  Poles  at  Niester,  Sept.  26.  Queen 
Mary  dies,  Dec.  28,  set.  33.  Filicaia,  ob.  1707,  set. 
65.  Madame  de  Maintenon,  ob.  1719,  set.  84. 

1695.  A comet  appeared  at  Macao,  with  a tail  40  degrees  in 

length.  War  between  the  Ottoman  Porte  and  the 
allies.  Namur  taken  by  the  allies,  July  25.  The 
duke  of  Savoy  takes  Casal,  May.  Malebranche,  ob. 
1715. 

1696.  Treaty  of  Turin  between  Louis  XIV.  and  the  duke 

of  Savoy.  The  Assassination  plot  discovered,  July 
14.  Peter  I.  takes  Azof,  July  19.  J.  Dominique 
Cassini,  ob.  1712,  set.  87. 

1697.  A meteoric  stone  fell  in  Switzerland,  on  the  16th 

March.  French  take  Carthagena,  May  26.  The 


OF  THE  WORLD,  175 

A.  T). 

Turks  defeated  by  the  Imperialists,  in  the  battle  of 
Zentha,  Sept.  1.  The  peace  of  Ryswick,  between 
Britain,  F ranee,  Holland,  and  Spain,  Sept.  1 1 , Peace 
between  France  and  the  empire,  Oct.  20.  Henry 
Dodwell,  ob.  1711,  sst.  70.  John  Lobieski  dies. 

1698.  The  Czar  Peter  travels  into  Holland,  England,  and 

Germany.  The  first  treaty  of  partition  between 
France,  Britain,  and  Holland,  signed  Aug.  10.  A 
comet  appears.  Gronovius,  ob.  1716,  set.  71.  Hein- 
sius,  ob.  1720,  aet.  79. 

1699.  Peace  of  Carlowitz,  between  Poland,  Russia,  Venice, 

and  Turkey,  Jan  16.  A comet  appeared.  The 
Scots  attempt  an  establishment  on  the  coast  of  Darien. 
A league  against  Sweden,  between  Denmark,  Poland, 
and  Russia.  The  Dutch  guards  sent  to  Holland. 
Bishop  Lloyd,  ob.  1717,  set.  90. 

1700.  Meteoric  stones  fell  near  St.  Jago,  in  Jamaica.  The 

Dutch  and  the  German  Protestants  introduce  the  new 
style.  The  crown  of  Spain  transferred  to  the  house 
of  Bourbon.  A severe  bill  against  the  papists  in 
England.  The  treaty  of  Traventhod,  between  Den- 
mark and  Sweden,  Aug.  The  Russians  defeated  by 
the  Swedes  at  Narva,  Nov.  20.  Thrashing  ma- 
chine, with  flails,  invented.  Mad.  Dacier,  ob.  1720, 
set.  69. 


Eighteenth  Century. 

1701.  The  coronation  of  the  first  king  of  Prussia,  Jan.  7. 

Academy  of  sciences  founded  at  Berlin.  An  alliance 
against  France,  between  Germany,  England,  Hol- 
land, and  Savoy,  Sept.  7.  A league  against  the  al- 
lies, between  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal.  Yale 
College  founded  at  Saybrook,  Connecticut.  Sir  Isaac 
Newton,  ob.  1727,  set.  85. 

1702.  A comet  appeared.  War  declared  against  France,  in 

England,  Germany,  and  Holland,  May  4.  The  Im- 
perialists defeated  by  the  French  at  Luzara,  Aug.  4. 
Landau  surrenders  to  the  Imperialists,  Aug.  30. 
Venloo  surrendered  to  the  allies,  Sept.  25.  The 
French  fleet  destroyed  by  the  English  and  Dutch  in 
the  port  of  Vigo,  Oct.  12.  The  French  send  colo- 


CHRONOLOGY 


176 

A.  1 

nies  to  the  Mississippi.  Naval  battle  between  the 
English  and  French  in  the  West  Indies,  Aug.  19. 
China  ware  made  at  Dresden.  King  William  dies, 
March  8,  set.  52.  He  was  the  posthumous  son  of 
William,  prince  of  Orange,  by  Mary,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  I.,  and  espoused  his  first  cousin, 
Princess  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  James  II.,  and 
left  no  issue.  William  and  Mary,  though  not  the 
next  in  succession,  acceded  to  the  throne  of  England 
by  the  choice  of  the  parliament  and  people,  on  the 
abdication,  or  rather  flight,  of  James  II.,  who  lost 
the  throne  by  his  tyranny,  and  attachment  to  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion.  In  compliance  with  an 
invitation  from  the  chief  men  in  England  and  Scot- 
land, the  prince  from  Holland,  with  a fleet  of  500 
sail,  set  out  for  England,  with  the  avowed  design  of 
restoring  the  church  and  state  to  their  due  rights ; 
and  he  was  supported  by  the  whigs,  and  by  many 
whom  James  had  considered  his  best  friends,  and 
particularly  by  Anne  his  daughter,  afterwards  queen 
of  England,  and  Prince  George  of  Denmark,  her 
husband.  This  was  the  eventful  period  in  English 
history,  called  the  Revolution , in  which  the  succes- 
sion was  confirmed  in  the  prince  and  princess  of 
Grange  ; a declaration  of  rights  was  annexed,  which 
defined  the  royal  prerogative,  and  fixed  on  a firm 
basis  the  liberties  of  the  people  of  England.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Princess  Anne  of  Denmark, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  James  II. — The  charter  of 
Philadelphia  granted,  Oct.  25.  The  culture  of  silk 
and  cotton  introduced  about  this  time  into  Carolina. 
Prince  Eugene,  ob.  1736,  set.  73.  Fenelon,  ob. 
1715,  set.  64. 

1703.  Portugal  joins  the  league  against  France  and  Spain, 

May  5.  Petersburg  founded.  A dreadful  tempest 
in  England,  Nov.  27.  Leibnitz,  ob.  1716,  set.  70. 

1704.  Rice  introduced  into  Carolina  from  Madagascar. 

Deerfield,  Mass.,  burned,  and  the  inhabitants  slain, 
taken  captives,  or  dispersed,  Feb.  28.  The  Bavari- 
ans defeated  by  Marlborough  at  Schellenburg,  July 
2.  Admiral  Rook  takes  Gibraltar,  July  24.  Battle 
of  Blenheim,  in  which  the  allies  defeat  the  French, 


OF  THE  WORLD.  177 

A.  D. 

Aug.  2.  Narva  taken  by  the  czar  of  Muscovy, 
Aug.  10.  The  English  defeat  the  French  fleet  off 
Malaga,  Aug.  13.  The  allies  take  Landau,  Nov. 
23.  Huet,  ob.  1721,  set.  91. 

1705.  The  Spanish  fleet  defeated  by  the  English  off  Gibral- 

tar, March  21.  Marlborough  forces  the  French 
lines  in  Brabant,  July  18.  The  duke  of  Vendome 
defeats  Prince  Eugene  at  Cassano,  Aug.  5.  Barce 
Iona  reduced  by  the  English,  Aug.  22.  Sir  Godfrey 
Kneller,  ob.  1723,  set.  77. 

1706.  A meteoric  stpne  weighing  72  pounds  fell  near  Louisa, 

in  Macedonia,  in  January.  The  French  defeated  by 
Marlborough,  at  Ramillies,  May  12.  Marlborough 
takes  Brussels,  Louvaine,  Bruges,  Ghent,  Ostend, 
Menin,  &c.  The  allies  take  Carthagena,  June  13. 
Union  between  England  and  Scotland,  signed,  July 
20.  P.  Eugene  defeats  the  French  at  Turin,  Aug. 
27.  Peace  between  Poland  and  Sweden,  Sept.  13. 
The  Spaniards  discover  the  New  Philippine  Isles. 
A comet  appeared.  John  Flamstead,  ob.  1723,  set. 
77. 

1707.  The  French  defeat  the  allies  at  Almanza,  April  14. 

Treaty  between  the  emperor  and  Sweden,  in  April. 
The  kingdom  of  Naples  seized  by  the  emperor.  A 
conspiracy  in  Geneva.  A comet  appeared.  And. 
Dacier,  ob.  1722,  set.  71. 

1708.  Battle  of  Oudenarde,  in  which  the  French  are  defeated, 

June  30.  Sardinia  taken  by  the  allies,  Aug.  4. 
Minorca  taken  by  Gen.  Stanhope,  Sept.  18.  Lisle 
surrenders  to  the  allies,  Oct.  12.  Marlborough  takes 
Ghent,  Dec.  30.  Jo.  Vincent  Gravina,  ob.  1718, 
set.  50. 

1709.  Battle  of  Pultowa,  in  which  the  Swedes  are  defeated 

by  the  Russians,  June  27.  Tournay  taken  by  the 
allies,  July  30.  The  French  defeated  at  Malplaquet, 
Aug.  31.  Mons  taken  by  the  allies,  Oct.  21.  Dr. 
Bentley,  ob.  1742,  set.  80.  Marshal  Villars,  ob. 
1734,  set.  82. 

1710.  The  allies  take  Douay,  June  15.  The  allies  defeat 

the  Spaniards  at  Almenara,  July  27,  and  at  Sara- 
gossa, Aug.  9.  Port  Royal  taken  by  Gen.  Nichol- 
son, and  its  name  changed  to  Annapolis,  Oct.  2.  The 


178 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


English  defeated  at  Brihwega,  by  the  duke  of  Yen- 
dome,  Dec.  9.  Battle  of  Villa  Viciosa,  Dec.  10. 
The  Spaniards  defeated  by  Staremberg.  Bishop 
Hare,  ob.  1740,  set.  70.  R.  Harley,  earl  of  Oxford, 
ob.  1724,  set.  63. 

1711.  The  duke  de  Noailies  takes  Girrone,  Jan.  23.  War 
declared  by  the  emperor  of  Russia  against  the  Turks, 
March  8 ; a battle  between  the  Turks  and  Russians, 
which  lasts  3 days.  Bouchain  taken  by  Marlborough, 
Sept.  13.  Treaty  of  Pruth,  between  Peter  the  Great 
and  Achmet  III.  Addison,  ob.  1719,  set.  48.  Lord 
Bolingbroke,  ob.  1751,  set.  73. 

1/12.  Villars  defeats  the  English  at  Denain,  July  13,  and 
takes  Douay,  Sept.  8.  Negotiations  for  peace  at 
Utrecht.  The  Tuscaroras  attacked  N.  Carolina, 
were  defeated  by  Col.  Barnwell,  and  migrated  to  the 
five  nations  and  formed  a sixth  tribe.  Sir  R.  Steel, 
ob.  1729. 

Tv  13.  A comet  appears.  Peace  of  Utrecht  between  Britain 
and  Holland,  Jan.  29.  Peace  between  Russia  and 
Turkey.  A treaty  between  Britain  and  Spain,  March 
26.  Peace  between  Britain  and  France,  between 
France  and  the  duke  of  Savoy,  between  Portugal 
and  France,  between  Prussia  and  France,  April  11  ; 
between  France  and  the  states-general,  April  12; 
between  Britain  and  Spain,  July  13.  Iron  began  to 
be  manufactured  in  Virginia.  Matthew  Prior,  ob. 
1721,  set.  57. 

1714.  Treaty  of  Rastadt  and  of  Baden,  in  Switzerland,  be- 

tween Germany  and  France,  March  6.  Barcelona 
and  Cordova  taken  by  the  king  of  Spain.  Treaty 
of  Baden  between  France,  Germany,  and  Spain, 
Sept.  7.  War  declared  against  Venice  by  the  Turks, 
Dec.  7.  Q.  Anne  dies,  and  George  I.  succeeds  to 
the  throne  of  Great  Britain,  Aug.  1.  Francis  Atter- 
bury,  bishop  of  Rochester,  banished,  1723,  ob.  1732, 
set.  70. 

1715.  Treaty  of  Utrecht  between  Spain  and  Portugal,  Feb. 

13.  Morea  subdued  by  the  Turks.  The  barrier 
treaty  between  Holland  and  Germany,  Nov.  15. 
The  battle  of  Prestonpans,  Nov.  13  ; SherifF-muir, 
Nov.  13.  Prince  Charles  lands  near  Aberdeen, 


OF  TIIE  WORLD.  179 

A . D. 

Deo.  22.  Louis  XIV.  dies,  Aug.  21,  set.  77.  John 
Hardouin,  ob.  1729,  set.  83.  John,  duke  of  Argyle, 
ob.  1743,  set.  61. 

1716.  Alliance  between  Britain  and  Holland,  Feb,  6.  The 

rebellion  in  Scotland  suppressed,  April  26.  Alliance 
between  Britain  and  Germany,  May  25.  War  be- 
tween Germany  and  Turkey.  The  Turks  defeated 
by  P.  Eugene,  at  Peterwaradin,  July  25.  John  Le 
Clerc,  ob.  1736,  set.  79.  Philip,  duke  of  Orleans, 
regent  of  France,  ob.  1723,  set.  51. 

1717.  A comet  appears.  Peter  the  Great  arrives  in  Paris. 

Yale  College  was  removed  from  Saybrook  to  New 
Haven.  The  triple  alliance  between  Britain,  F ranee, 
and  Holland,  at  the  Hague,  Dec.  24.  Prince  Eu- 
gene defeats  the  Turks  at  Belgrade,  kills  15,000 
men,  and  takes  130  pieces  of  cannon.  L’Enfant, 
ob.  1728,  set.  68. 

1718.  Charles  XII.  invades  Norway.  The  English  defeat 

the  Spaniards  in  a sea-fight,  near  Syracuse,  July  31. 
Treaty  of  Passarowitz,  between  the  Germans,  Vene- 
tians, and  Turks,  July  21.  Quadruple  alliance  be- 
tween Germany,  Britain,  France,  and  Holland,  Aug. 
2.  Britain  makes  war  upon  Spain,  Dec.  22.  A 
comet  appeared.  Vertot,  ob.  1735,  set.  80.  Earl 
Macclesfield,  ob.  1732,  set.  66. 

1719.  Sicily  evacuated  by  the  Spanish  troops.  Peace  be- 

tween Britain  and  Spain,  June  26.  Peace  between 
Poland  and  Sweden  ; between  Hanover  and  Sweden, 
Nov.  20.  Battle  of  Franca  Villa,  June  9.  The 
Mississippi  scheme  at  its  height  in  France.  Combi- 
nation against  the  proprietary  government  of  Caro- 
lina, and  a revolution  effected.  First  Philadelphia 
newspaper  established.  John  Law,  ob.  1729,  set.  58. 
Dr.  Friend,  ob.  1728,  set.  53.  Alberoni  disgraced, 
ob.  1752,  set.  88. 

1720.  A league  between  England  and  Sweden,  Jan.  21. 

Peace  between  Sweden  and  Prussia,  Jan.  21.  South 
Sea  scheme  begins  April  7,  and  ends  Sept.  29.  Peace 
between  Denmark  and  Sweden,  June  3.  A great 
earthquake  in  China,  June  11.  The  Mississippi 
company  in  France  dissolved,  June  27.  Pestilence 
in  France.  Sardinia  ceded  to  the  duke  of  Savoy, 


180 
A.  B. 


CHRONOLOGY 


Aug.  7.  Gov.  Burnet  arrived  as  governor  of  New 
York.  Montfaucon,  ob.  1741,  set.  86. 

1721.  A shower  of  sulphur  fell  in  Brunswick,  in  October. 

Peace  between  Britain  and  Spain,  June  13.  Alliance 
between  Britain,  France,  and  Spain,  June  13.  Peace 
between  Sweden  and  Russia,  Aug.  19.  The  small- 
pox raged  in  Boston  and  the  vicinity,  and  inocula- 
tion first  introduced  by  Dr.  Zabdiel  Boylston,  with 
great  opposition.  The  aurora  borealis,  or  northern 
lights,  which  had  disappeared  for  almost  a century, 
appeared  in  New  England,  Dec.  11.  Dr.  S.  Clarke, 
ob.  1729,  set.  54.  Sir  R.  Walpole,  ob.  1745,  set.  71. 

1722.  The  English  make  peace  with  the  Moors,  Aug.  12. 

A revolution  in  Persia,  Oct.  12.  The  czar  assumes 
the  title  of  Emperor  of  Russia.  Roggewein  makes 
discoveries  in  the  Pacific  ocean.  The  Christians  and 
Jesuits  expelled  from  China.  Dr.  Jonathan  Swift, 
ob.  1745,  set.  78. 

1723.  Thirty-three  meteoric  stones  fell  near  Plestowitz,  in 

Bohemia,  on  the  22d  June.  A comet  appeared.  Dr. 
Edmund  Halley,  ob.  1742,  set.  82.  Duke  of  Marl- 
borough dies,  set.  73. 

1724.  Earthquake  in  Denmark.  Persecution  of  the  Protest- 

ants in  France.  An  academy  of  sciences  established 
at  St.  Petersburgh.  Philip  V.  resigns  his  kingdom 
to  his  son  Lewis,  Jan.  15.  Fort  Dummer,  on  Con- 
necticut river,  the  first  settlement  in  Vermont  by 
civilized  men,  made.  John  Albertus  Fabricius,  ob. 

1736,  set.  67.  Duke  de  Riperda  disgraced,  1726,  ob. 

1737. 

1725.  Treaty  of  Vienna,  between  the  emperor  and  the  king 

of  Spain,  April  31.  War  between  Persia  and  Tur- 
key. Treaty  of  Hanover,  between  Britain,  France, 
and  Prussia,  against  Germany  and  Spain,  Sept.  3. 
The  first  newspaper  printed  in  New  York,  by  Wil- 
liam Bradford,  called  the  New  York  Gazette.  Dr. 
John  Arbuthnot,  ob.  1735.  Cardinal  Fleury,  ob. 
1743,  set.  90. 

1726.  An  earthquake  at  Palermo,  Aug.  21.  Printing  intro- 

duced into  Virginia,  by  William  Parks.  Boerhaave, 
ob.  1738,  set.  70. 

1727.  Treaty  of  Copenhagen,  between  Britain,  Denmark,  &c., 


OP  THE  WORLD.  181 

A.  D. 

April  16.  Peace  between  Turkey  and  Persia.  Ab- 
erration of  the  fixed  stars  discovered  by  Dr.  Bradley. 
Siege  of  Gibraltar  begun  by  the  Spaniards,  May  20, 
and  continued  till  April,  1728.  King  George  I.  dies, 
June  11,  set.  68,  having  reigned  13  years.  A dry 
summer,  followed  by  a violent  earthquake,  Oct.  20. 
Dr.  Chandler,  ob.  1750,  set.  83.  Dr.  Bradley,  ob. 
1762,  set.  70. 

1728.  Treaty  of  Westminster,  between  Britain  and  Holland, 

May  27.  A colony  of  Danes  passed  into  Greenland. 
A great  fire  in  Copenhagen.  An  earthquake  in  China, 
September.  A tempest  in  Carolina  inundated  the 
lowlands,  and  drove  the  people  into  the  upper  rooms 
of  their  houses,  which  was  followed  in  Charleston 
by  a pestilential  fever,  Cotton  Mather  died  at  Bos- 
ton, aged  65  years ; he  was  fellow  of  the  Royal  So- 
ciety of  London.  Cardinal  Polignac,  ob.  1741,  set. 
80.  Sir  R.  Temple,  ob.  1749,  set.  74. 

1729.  A comet  appeared.  The  treaty  of  Seville,  between 

Britain,  France,  and  Spain,  Nov.  9.  Bishop  Gibson, 
ob.  1743,  set.  79. 

1730.  War  between  Persia  and  Turkey.  An  earthquake  in 

China.  A revolution  at  Constantinople,  September. 
The  Persians,  under  Kouli-Khan,  gain  a signal  vic- 
tory over  the  Turks.  The  first  newspaper  printed 
in  Carolina.  Carolina  purchased  of  the  proprietors 
by  the  crown,  and  divided  into  two  provinces,  North 
and  South  Carolina.  Bishop  Hoadly,  ob.  1761,  set. 
85. 

1731.  A treaty  between  Britain  and  Germany,  March  16. 

A new  treaty  between  Germany,  Britain,  and  Spain, 
July  22.  Alliance  between  the  electorates  of  Hano- 
ver and  Saxony,  August.  A great  earthquake  at 
Naples.  Alexander  Pope,  ob.  1741,  set.  80. 

1732.  The  Spanish  fleet  defeats  the  Moors  on  the  coast  of 

Barbary,  June  20.  The  Pragmatic  sanction  con- 
firmed by  the  diet  of  the  empire,  Jan.  11.  George 
Washington  born  in  Westmoreland  co.,  Virginia, 
Feb.  22,  O.  S.  Pennsylvania  contained  30,000  in- 
habitants ; Maryland,  36,000  ; New  Jersey,  47,000, 
Rollin,  ob.  1741,  set.  80. 

1733,.  Jesuits  expelled  from  Paraguay,  January.  A war  be 

16 


182 
A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


tween  Germany  and  France.  A treaty  between 
France,  Spain,  and  Sardinia.  Georgia  settled  under 
Gen.  James  Oglethorpe,  Feb.  1,  at  Yamacraw  Bluff, 
on  Savannah  river,  which  was  called  after  the  In- 
dian name  of  the  river,  Savannah.  Abbe  du  Bos, 
ob.  1742,  set.  72. 

1734.  A battle  between  the  Turks  and  Persians.  The  Im- 

perialists defeated  by  the  French  at  Parma,  June  18. 
The  French  take  Philipsburg,  July  7.  Dantzic  sub- 
mits to  Augustus,  July  10.  The  king  of  Sardinia 
defeats  the  Imperialists  at  Guastalla,  Sept.  19.  A 
commercial  treaty  between  Britain  and  Russia,  Dec. 
2.  Fontenelle,  ob.  1756,  set.  100.  W.  Pulteney, 
ob.  1764,  set.  81. 

1735.  Alliance  between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  The  Turks 

defeated  by  the  Persians.  Preliminaries  of  peace 
between  France  and  Austria,  signed  Oct.  3.  Dr. 
Sherlock,  ob.  1761,  set.  84. 

1736.  Peace  between  Austria  and  Spain.  War  between 

Russia  and  Turkey.  Kouli-Khan  proclaimed  king 
of  Persia,  by  the  title  of  Shah  Nadir,  Sept.  29.  La- 
grange born,  25th  June.  Bishop  Berkeley,  ob.  1753, 
set.  73. 

1737.  A comet  appeared.  The  emperor,  along  with  Russia, 

makes  war  upon  the  Turks,  July  2.  A dreadful 
hurricane  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges,  Oct.  10.  In- 
surrection of  the  slaves  in  South  Carolina.  Colin 
Maclaurin,  ob.  1746,  set.  48.  Philip,  earl  of  Hard- 
wicke,  ob.  1764,  set.  74. 

1738.  The  Russians  invade  the  Crimea.  Treaty  of  Vienna, 

between  the  emperor  and  the  king  of  France,  Nov. 
18.  James  Thomson,  ob.  1748,  set.  48.  Lord  Presi- 
dent Forbes,  ob.  1747,  set.  62. 

1739.  Shah  Nadir  obtains  possession  of  the  empire  of  the 

Moguls.  Treaty  between  Britain  and  Denmark.  A 
comet  appeared.  The  Russians  defeat  the  Turks  at 
Choczim,  Aug.  8.  Peace  between  Germany  and 
Turkey,  Aug.  21 ; between  Russia  and  Turkey, 
Nov.  War  between  England  and  Spain  declared, 
Oct,  23.  Porto-Bello  taken  by  Vernon,  Nov.  21. 
Treaty  of  Versailles  between  France  and  Holland, 
Dec.  21.  Bishop  Butler,  ob.  1752,  set.  60. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


183 


A.  D. 

1740.  War  between  Hungary  and  Poland.  Peace  between 

Persia  and  Turkey,  Oct.  The  Emperor  Charles  VI. 
dies,  Oct.  9,  which  begins  the  general  war  in  Ger- 
many, that  lasts  8 years.  Henry  Fielding,  ob.  1754, 
set.  48.  Arthur  Onslow,  ob.  1768,  set.  78. 

1741.  Prussians  defeated  by  the  Imperialists  at  the  battle  of 

Molwitz,  March  30.  War  between  Russia  and 
Sweden.  Carthagena  taken  by  Vernon,  June  19. 
The  Prussians  seize  Silesia,  Oct.  20.  Moravians 
first  settle  in  America  at  Bethlehem.  The  cele- 
brated negro-plot  for  burning  the  city  of  New  York 
was  detected  ; two  white  persons  were  executed,  one 
of  whom,  a Roman  Catholic  priest,  died,  protesting 
his  innocence  ; 14  negroes  were  burned  at  the  stake, 
18  were  hanged,  and  71  were  transported.  There 
is  reason  to  believe  that  a plot  existed  to  bum  the 
city,  but  the  fears  of  the  people  were  unreasonably 
excited.  The  city  then  contained  12,000  inhabitants, 
one  sixth  of  whom  were  slaves.  Benjamin  Franklin 
issued  the  first  number  of  his  General  Magazine  and 
Historical  Chronicle,  the  first  literary  journal  pub- 
lished in  the  United  States.  Charles  de  Secondat 
Baron  Montesquieu,  ob.  1755,  set.  67. 

1 742.  Two  comets  appeared.  Battle  of  Czaslaw,  between  the 

Austrians  and  Prussians,  May  6.  Peace  between 
Prussia  and  Austria.  Prague  besieged  by  the  Aus- 
trians, Aug.  16  to  Dec.  16.  Alliance  between  Bri- 
tain and  Prussia,  Nov.  18.  Dr.  Stephen  Hale,  ob. 
1761,  set.  82. 

1743.  War  between  the  Turks  and  Persians.  The  battle 

of  Campo  Santo,  Jan.  17.  The  allied  army  defeats 
the  French  at  the  battle  of  Dettingen,  June  16.  Al- 
liance between  Britain  and  Russia,  February.  A 
plague  in  Sicily,  May.  War  between  the  British, 
French,  Austrians,  and  Hungarians.  Peace  be- 
tween Russia  and  Sweden  at  Abo,  Aug.  17.  A 
comet  appeared.  An  alliance  between  Britain,  Hun-  * 
gary,  &c.,  at  Worms,  Sept.  13.  Alliance  between 
Britain  and  Russia,  Dec.  11.  The  Library  Com- 
pany of  Philadelphia  incorporated  ; it  was  formed  in 
1631,  through  the  influence  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 

: and  was  the  first  subscription  library  in  the  country. 


184  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

A large  comet  appeared  in  Dec.  G.  Frederick 
Handel,  ob.  1759,  set.  56. 

1744.  A comet  appeared.  The  attempt  of  the  French  to 

invade  Britain  defeated,  Feb.  24.  Naval  engage- 
ment  between  the  French  and  English  fleets  off  Tou- 
lon, Feb.  22.  War  between  Britain  and  France. 
War  between  Hungary  and  France,  April  17.  Sur- 
render of  Menin,  June.  The  king  of  Prussia  takes 
Prague,  Sept.  16.  Friburg  surrenders  to  the  French, 
Nov.  1.  Commodore  Anson  completes  his  voyage 
round  the  world.  Henry  Pelham,  ob.  1754,  set.  60. 

1745.  Quadruple  alliance  between  Britain,  Austria,  Holland, 

and  Poland,  Jan.  8.  The  Austrians  defeat  the  French 
at  Pfaffenhofen,  April  4.  Battle  of  Fontenoy,  April 
30.  Shah  Nadir  defeats  the  Turks  at  Erzerum,  in 
May.  The  Prussians  defeat  the  Austrians  at  Strie- 
gau,  June  4.  The  French  take  Tournay,  Ghent, 
Bruges,  Oudenarde,  Dendermonde,  Ostend,  Newport, 
and  Aeth,  between  June  8 and  Oct.  9.  The  Eng- 
lish take  Louisbourg  and  Cape  Breton,  June  6.  The 
rebellion  in  Scotland  begins  in  July.  The  Austrians 
defeated  by  the  Prussians  at  Sohr,  Sept.  19.  Battle 
of  Prestonpans,  Sept.  21.  Treaty  of  Dresden,  be- 
tween Austria,  Prussia,  Poland,  and  Saxony,  Dec. 
25.  The  duke  of  Cumberland  takes  Carlisle,  Dec. 
30.  Louisburg,  “the  Dunkirk  of  America,”  surren- 
dered to  New  England  troops,  aided  by  an  English 
squadron,  June  17.  New  England  contains  1000 
vessels  exclusive  of  fishing  craft.  From  the  custom- 
houses it  was  ascertained  that  in  commerce,  Boston 
occupied  the  first  place,  Philadelphia  the  second, 
New  York  the  third,  Charleston  the  fourth,  Newport 
the  fifth,  and  Perth  Amboy  the  sixth.  Dr.  Middleton, 
ob.  1750,  set.  67.  Marshal  Saxe,  ob.  1750,  set.  54. 

1746.  Battle  of  Falkirk,  Jan.  17.  Peace  between  Persia  and 

Turkey  in  January.  Count  Saxe  takes  Brussels, 
Feb.  20,  and  soon  after  Antwerp.  Battle  of  Cullo- 
den,  April  16.  Alliance  of  Petersburg,  between 
Russia  and  Austria,  May  22.  The  prince  of  Conti 
takes  Mons,  July  10,  and  Charleroi,  Aug.  2.  Na- 
mur taken  by  Count  Clermont,  Sept.  19.  The  allies 
defeated  by* Saxe  at  Reucoux,  Oct.  11.  Lima  de- 


A . D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


185 


stroyed  by  an  earthquake,  Oct.  17.  French  expe- 
dition under  the  Duke  D’Anville,  consisting  of  40 
ships  of  war  and  from  3000  to  4000  troops,  menaced 
New  England,  and  signally  failed  by  means  of  a 
storm,  contagious  fever,  and  other  disasters ; it  was 
considered  by  serious  people  as  an  instance  of  a re- 
markable interposition  of  Providence  in  their  favor. 
The  college  of  New  Jersey,  subsequently  named 
Nassau-Hall,  was  first  established  at  Elizabethtown, 
afterwards  removed  to  Newark,  and  finally  to  Prince- 
ton in  1757,  where  it  became  permanent.  Jonathan 
Dickinson,  first  president  of  New  Jersey  College, 
died,  in  his  60th  year.  David  Brainerd,  missionary 
to  the  Indians,  died,  in  his  30th  year.  Hogarth,  ob. 
1764,  set.  67.  Duke  of  Cumberland,  ob.  1765, 
set.  45. 

1747.  Anson  and  Warren  defeat  the  French  fleet,  May  3. 

A comet  appeared.  The  prince  of  Orange  elected 
Stadtholder  of  the  United  Provinces,  May  2.  Alli- 
ance of  Stockholm,  between  Prussia,  Poland,  and 
Sweden,  May  29.  Admiral  Hawke  defeats  the 
French  fleet,  Oct.  14.  The  French  take  Bergen-op- 
Zoom,  Sept.  5.  Kouli  Khan  murdered.  A revolu- 
tion in  Persia.  James  Cassini,  ob.  1756,  set.  79. 
Lord  Anson,  ob.  1762,  set.  62. 

1748.  Two  comets  appeared.  The  French  take  Maestricht, 

May  7.  Peace  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  between  Britain, 
France,  Spain,  Austria,  Sardinia,  and  Holland,  Oct. 
7.  Benjamin  Robins,  ob.  1751,  set.  44.  Sir  John 
Barnard,  ob.  1764,  set.  80. 

1749.  Nova  Scotia  colonized.  A league  against  the  Cor- 

sairs of  Algiers  and  Tunis,  between  the  Pope,  Vene- 
tians, &c.  Bennington,  Vt.,  granted  by  Gov.  Ben- 
ning  Wentworth,  of  N.  H.,  which  was  followed  by 
other  similar  grants,  for  four  or  five  years,  since  called 
the  New  Hampshire  grants.  In  these  grants  were 
reserved  one  right  of  land  containing  about  360  acres 
for  the  first  settled  minister  ; one  similar  right  as  a 
glebe  for  the  support  of  an  Episcopal  minister,  of  the 
Church  of  England,  66  as  by  law  established;55  and 
one  right  for  the  “ Society  for  propagating  the  gospel 
in  foreign  parts.55  The  glebe  in  Vermont,  and  also 


CHRONOLOGY 


186 

A.  I 

in  New  Hampshire,  has  been  appropriated  to  the  use 
of  schools,  the  U.  S.  court  having  decided  that  there 
is  no  such  thing  in  the  country  as  the  Church  of 
England,  “ as  by  law  established. ” But  the  Society 
for  propagating  the  gospel  in  foreign  parts  since  con- 
veyed their  right  to  the  Episcopal  church  in  Ver- 
mont for  the  support  of  her  ministry,  and  the  court 
of  the  United  States  put  them  in  possession  of  this 
right,  and  it  now  constitutes  a fund  for  the  support 
of  the  Bishop  of  Vermont,  and  to  aid  in  the  support 
of  the  Episcopal  clergy  of  that  state.  This  right  of 
land  is  found  in  many  of  the  oldest  and  best  town- 
ships in  the  state  of  Vermont.  The  legislature  had 
already  appropriated  it  to  the  use  of  schools ; and  it 
evinced  the  stern  integrity  and  paramount  authority 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  that  they 
should  confirm  this  grant  to  a foreign  Society,  which 
should  go  to  the  support  of  a denomination  who  con- 
stituted a small  minority  among  the  religious  sects 
of  the  state.  The  population  of  the  English  colonies 
was  this  year,  1,046,000.  La  Place  born,  March 
23.  Bouguer,  ob.  1758,  set.  61.  Philip,  earl  of 
Chesterfield,  ob.  1773,  set.  79. 

1750.  A large  meteoric  stone  fell  on  St.  Peter’s  day  at 

Niort,  near  Constance  in  Normandy.  Two  shocks 
of  an  earthquake  in  England,  Feb.  8 and  March  8. 
An  academy  of  sciences  founded  at  Stockholm. 
Treaty  of  commerce  between  Spain  and  Britain, 
Oct.  5.  Belidor,  ob.  1761,  set.  64.  Earl  of  Ba- 
thurst, ob.  1775,  set.  91. 

1751.  Two  meteoric  stones,  one  weighing  71,  and  the  other 

16  pounds,  fell  in  the  district  of  Agram  in  Croatia. 
Peace  between  Portugal  and  Spain.  Pennsylvania 
Hospital  was  established  by  act  of  the  assembly, 
Feb.  7.  Frederic,  prince  of  Wales,  dies,  March  20, 
set.  44.  Thomas  Simpson,  ob.  1761. 

S752.  Franklin  discovers  the  identity  between  electricity 
and  lightning.  The  new  style  introduced  into  Bri- 
tain, Sept.  3,  reckoned  the  14th.  A tempest  laid 
Charleston  under  water,  in  Sept.  The  new  style 
was  introduced  into  the  colonies.  From  this  time, 
the  new  year,  instead  of  beginning  on  the  25th  of 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


187 


March,  commenced  on  the  1st  of  Jan.  The  new 
style  began  on  the  3d  of  September,  now  called  the 
14th,  eleven  days  having  been  dropped.  The  new 
style  was  thus  slowly  adopted,  as  it  had  originated 
with  Pope  Gregory  XIII.  of  Rome.  La  Caille,  ob. 
1762,  set.  49.  Franklin,  ob.  1790,  set.  85. 

1753.  Meteoric  stones  fell  near  Eichstadt  in  Germany  in 

January.  Other  two,  one  of  20,  and  another  of  11 
pounds  weight,  fell  in  Bresse-bock,  in  September ; 
and  a shower  of  stones  fell  on  the  3d  July,  near  Ta- 
bor in  Bohemia.  Major  Washington,  then  in  his 
22d  year,  was  sent  by  Gov.  Dinwiddie  of  Va.,  to  re- 
monstrate against  the  encroachments  of  the  French 
at  Fort  Duquesne,  now  Pittsburg.  The  British 
Museum  established  by  act  of  parliament.  China 
ware  made  at  Chelsea.  Dr.  Edward  Young,  ob. 
1765,  set.  83. 

1754.  A dreadful  eruption  of  iEtna.  A great  earthquake  at 

Constantinople,  &c.,  Sept.  2.  The  French  surprised 
and  defeated  by  Col.  Washington  at  the  Great  Mead- 
ows. Col.  Washington  and  his  troops  in  Fort  Neces- 
sity, surrendered  to  the  French,  July  4.  Dr.  John 
Leland,  ob.  1766,  set.  75.  John  duke  of  Bedford, 
ob.  1771,  set.  61. 

1755.  A meteoric  stone  fell  in  the  country  of  Terra  Nova, 

weighing  pounds.  War  between  the  Algerines 
and  Dutch,  April  10.  Quito  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake, April  28.  Braddock  killed  near  Fort  Du- 
quesne, July  9.  Gen.  Braddock  led  a force  against 
the  French  at  Fort  Duquesne,  and  Col.  Washington 
was  appointed  his  aid  ; Braddock  was  defeated  and 
mortally  wounded,  and  Washington  displayed  his 
youthful  prowess  in  conducting  the  retreat  of  the 
shattered  forces.  A convention  between  Britain  and 
Russia,  Sept.  30.  Lisbon  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake, Nov.  1.  Dr.  Birch,  ob.  1766,  set.  61.  Ad- 
miral Boscawen,  ob.  1761,  set.  50. 

1756.  Treaty  between  Britain  and  Prussia,  Feb.  16.  Eng- 

land makes  war  upon  France,  May  17.  A naval 
engagement  between  the  English  and  French  off 
Minorca,  May  20.  Minorca  surrendered  to  the 
French,  June  28.  Oswego  taken,  Aug.  14,  by  the 


CHRONOLOGY 


188 

a.  r 

French  under  M.  Montcalm.  The  population  of  Con- 
necticut,  as  returned  to  the  assembly,  was  130,611. 
Dr.  Robert  Smith,  ob.  1768,  set.  79.  William  Pitt, 
earl  of  Chatham,  ob.  1778,  set.  70.  The  Austrians 
defeated  at  Lowoschutz,  by  the  king  of  Prussia, 
Oct.  1. 

1757.  Damien’s  conspiracy  against  the  French  king,  Jan.  5. 

The  king  of  Prussia  invades  Bohemia.  The  king 
of  Prussia  defeats  the  Austrians  at  the  battle  of 
Prague,  May  6.  The  battle  of  Kollin,  June  18,  in 
which  the  king  of  Prussia  is  repulsed  by  count  Daun. 
The  battle  of  Plaissy,  in  the  East  Indies,  June  23. 
The  battle  of  Hastenbeck,  July  26,  in  which  the 
French  defeat  the  allies.  The  French  take  Verdun, 
Aug.  26,  and  Bremen,  3 days  afterwards.  The 
convention  of  Closter-seven,  Sept.  8.  A comet  ap- 
peared. The  battle  of  Rosbeck,  Nov.  5,  in  which 
the  Prussians  defeat  the  French  and  Austrians. 
The  Austrians  defeat  the  Prussians  near  Breslaw, 
Nov.  22.  The  Prussians  defeat  the  Austrians  at 
Lessa,  Dec.  5 ; take  Breslaw,  Dec.  21 ; and  become 
masters  of  Silesia.  Archbishop  Seeker,  ob.  1768, 
set.  75. 

1758.  Minden  reduced  by  Pr.  Ferdinand,  March  14.  A 

treaty  between  Britain  and  Prussia,  April  11.  The 
English  take  Senegal,  May  1.  The  French  de- 
feated by  Pr.  Ferdinand  at  Crevelt,  June  23.  The 
English  repulsed  at  Ticonderoga,  July  8.  The  Eng- 
lish take  Louisburg,  July  27,  and  Cherburg,  Aug. 
8.  The  Prussians  defeated  at  Frankfort,  Aug.  12, 
and  at  Hochkirchen,  Oct.  14,  by  the  Austrians. 
The  Russians  defeated  by  the  Prussians,  at  Zorn- 
dorf,  Aug.  25.  The  allies  defeated  at  Landwern- 
hagen,  Oct.  10.  The  Prussians  raise  the  sieges  of 
Colberg,  Neiss,  Cosel,  Torgau,  Leipsic,  and  Dres- 
den, in  Oct.  A treaty  between  Britain  and  Prussia, 
Dec.  7.  Gen.  Abercrombie  defeated  at  Ticonderoga 
with  great  loss ; Lord  Howe  killed,  July.  Fort 
Duquesne  abandoned  by  the  French  and  taken  pos- 
session of  by  the  English,  Nov. ; named  Fort  Pitt, 
in  honor  of  William  Pitt.  Jonathan  Edwards,  pre- 
sident of  the  college  of  New  Jersey,  died  in  his  55th 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


189 


year.  P.  Francis  Courayer,  ob.  1776,  set.  79.  Gen- 
eral Wolfe,  ob.  1759,  set.  33. 

1759.  A comet  appeared.  Ferdinand  defeats  the  French  at 

Bergen,  April  13.  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point 
taken  by  the  British.  Fort  Niagara  reduced  by  Sir 
W.  Johnson,  July  24.  Battle  of  Minden,  at  which 
the  French  are  defeated,  Aug.  1.  The  king  of  Prus- 
sia defeats  the  Russians  at  Cunersdorf,  August  12. 
The  Jesuits  banished  from  Portugal,  Sept.  3.  Gene- 
ral Wolfe  defeats  the  French,  and  takes  Quebec, 
Sept.  17.  The  French  fleet  defeated  by  Boscawen 
off  Gibraltar,  Aug.  18.  The  French  fleet  defeated 
off  Belleisle,  Nov.  20.  A comet  appeared.  Balbec 
and  Tripoli  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  Dec.  5.  A 
comet  appeared.  Bishop  Pearce,  ob.  1774,  set.  84. 
Henry  Fox,  lord  Holland,  ob.  1774,  set.  69. 

1760.  The  French  defeat  the  English  at  Quebec,  April  28. 

The  French  defeated  by  the  allies  at  Lydorf,  July 
16,  and  at  Warbourg,  July  31.  The  Prussians  de- 
feated by  the  Austrians  at  Landshut,  June  23.  The 
French  defeat  the  allies  at  Corbach,  July  10.  The 
Prussians  defeat  the  Austrians  at  Pfaffendorf,  Aug. 
15.  The  Prussians  defeat  the  Austrians  in  Saxony, 
Aug.  30,  and  at  Torgau,  Nov.  3.  Niagara  taken, 
and  Gen.  Prideaux  killed.  The  English  obtain  pos- 
session of  Canada,  Sept.  8.  Berlin  plundered  by 
the  Austrians  and  Russians,  Oct.  9.  Earthquakes 
in  Syria,  Oct.  13.  George  II.  dies,  Oct.  25,  set.  77. 
Voltaire,  ob.  1778,  set.  84. 

1761.  Col.  Coote  takes  Pondicherry,  Jan.  15.  The  French 

defeat  the  Hanoverians,  &c.,  near  Grunberg,  March 
21.  The  English  take  Belleisle,  June  7.  The 
French  defeated  at  Kirchdenckern,  July  15.  A 
league  between  France  and  Spain,  Aug.  15.  The 
Russians  defeated  at  Colberg,  Sept.  16.  King 
George  III.  crowned,  Sept.  22.  Lord  Lyttleton,  ob. 
1773,  set.  64.  Charles  Townshend,  ob.  1767,  set.  42. 
Samuel  Davies,  president  of  the  college  of  New  Jer- 
sey, died,  aged  37. 

1762.  War  with  Spain,  Jan.  3.  Martinique  surrenders, 

Feb.  4 ; Grenada,  &c.,  March  4.  Peace  between 
Prussia  and  Russia,  March  5.  War  between  Spain 


190  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

and  Portugal,  May  23.  A comet  appeared.  War 
declared  by  France  and  Spain  against  Portugal,  June 
20.  The  French  defeated  at  Grabenstein,  June  24. 
A revolution  in  Russia,  July  9.  The  English  take 
the  Havana,  August  12.  Prince  of  Wales  born, 
Aug.  12*  The  Jesuits  expelled  from  France  in 
August.  The  French  defeat  Prince  Ferdinand  at 
Johannesberg,  Aug.  30.  A battle  between  the  allies 
and  French  at  Bruchermuhl,  Sept.  21.  The  Eng- 
lish take  Manilla,  Oct.  6.  Schweidnitz  surrenders 
to  the  Prussians,  Oct.  9.  The  allies  defeated  by  Pr. 
Henry  at  Freyberg,  Oct.  29.  The  allies  besiege 
and  take  Cassel,  Nov.  1.  Peace  between  Britain 
and  France,  Nov.  3.  The  severest  drought  known 
in  America,  in  which  there  was  no  rain  from  May 
to  September.  Condamine,  ob.  1774,  set.  74. 

1763.  The  peace  of  Paris,  between  Britain,  France,  and 

^Spain,  acceded  to  by  Portugal,  Feb.  10.  The  peace 
of  Hubersburg  between  Prussia  and  Hungary,  Feb. 
15.  Peace  between  Prussia  and  Poland,  Feb.  15. 

- This  was  the  end  of  the  “ old  French  war,55  which 
had  been  very  troublesome  to  the  colonies;  but  it 
had  been  very  serviceable  in  accustoming  them  to 
the  fatigues  and  discipline  of  a camp,  and  in  prepar- 
- ing  them  for  the  subsequent  important  struggles  of 
the  Revolution.  In  the  early  part  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  the  United  States  had  some  experienced 
generals,  and  the  66  old  French  war55  was  the  school 
in  which  they  learned  the  art.  Gen.  Putnam  was 
well  acquainted  with  many  of  the  British  officers, 
with  whom  he  had  fought  side  by  side.  He  had 
occasional  intercourse  with  them  at  Boston,  before 
hostilities  commenced.  Being  once  asked  by  them 
if  he  did  not  believe  that  5000  regular  troops  would 
overrun  and  subdue  the  country  ? he  replied,  “ that 
leaving  the  men  out  of  the  question,  the  women  would 
beat  all  their  brains  out  with  their  broomsticks  and 
ladles,  before  they  had  gotten  half  through  the  coun- 
try.55 They  early  learned  that  he  was  as  incorrupti- 
ble as  he  was  brave.  Wedge  wood’s  improvements 
in  pottery. 

1764.  A comet  appeared.  A treaty  between  Russia  and 


A.  D 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


191 


Prussia,  April  15.  Stanislaus  Poniatowsky  elected 
king  of  Poland,  Sept.  6.  Famine  and  the  plague  in 
Italy.  An  earthquake  at  Lisbon,  Dec.  26.  Byron 
makes  discoveries  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  C.  V. 
Linne,  ob.  1778,  set.  70. 

1765*  The  regency  bill  passed,  May  15.  Bengal  established 
under  the  British  government.  Kentucky  first  set- 
tled by  Col.  Daniel  Boone.  The  stamp  act  receives 
the  royal  assent,  March  22,  and  occasioned  great 
commotion  in  the  colonies.  Pittsburg  was  laid  out 
on  the  plan  of  Philadelphia,  on  the  Monongahela,  at 
the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  river.  It  had  been 
extensively  visited  during  the  French  war,  and  the 
importance  of  the  situation  had  become  well  known. 
D.  of  Cumberland  dies,  Oct.  31.  The  Dauphin  dies, 
Dec.  20.  Dr.  Rutherford,  ob.  1771.  James  Stuart, 
the  Pretender,  dies. 

1766.  A meteoric  stone  fell  in  summer  at  Alboreti  near  Mo- 

dena. A comet  appeared.  The  stamp  act  in  America 
repealed,  March  18.  This  repeal  was  accompa- 
nied by  a declaratory  act,  asserting  the  right  of 
parliament  to  bind  the  colonies  in  all  cases  whatso- 
ever ; notwithstanding  which  the  repeal  excited  great 
joy,  which  was  testified  by  the  ringing  of  bells,  by 
fireworks,  and  festivals.  In  consequence  of  an  in- 
surrection in  Spain,  the  king  leaves  Madrid,  March 
25.  A comet  appeared.  A treaty  of  commerce  be- 
tween Britain  and  Russia,  June  20.  A great  earth- 
quake at  Constantinople.  The  Jesuits  banished 
from  Bohemia  and  Denmark.  Dr.  Franklin  was 
examined  before  the  House  of  Commons  on  the 
state  of  the  colonies.  David  Hume,  ob.  1776, 
set.  66. 

1767.  The  Jesuits  banished  from  Spain,  Genoa,  and  Venice, 

April  2.  Martinique  almost  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake. Toleration  of  the  Protestants  in  Poland, 
Nov.  2.  Wallis  and  Carteret  make  discoveries  in 
the  Pacific  ocean.  An  act  of  parliament  laying  a 
duty  on  paper,  glass,  painters’  colors,  and  on  teas, 
imported  into  the  colonies,  to  be  paid  by  them ; and 
for  quartering  the  soldiers  of  the  British  army  sta- 
tioned among  them,  on  the  inhabitants,  excited  much 


192 

A.  D. 


CHRONOLOGY 


apprehension  and  alarm.  Thomas  Clap,  president 
of  Yale  College,  died,  in  his  64th  year.  Jean  Jacques 
Rousseau,  ob.  1778. 

1768.  A meteoric  stone,  weighing  7J  pounds,  fell  near  Luce, 

in  the  district  of  the  Main,  on  the  13th  September. 
Another  meteoric  stone  fell  on  the  20th  Nov.  at 
Manerkerchen,  near  the  Inn  in  Bavaria,  weighing 
38  pounds.  The  Royal  Academy  of  Arts  estab- 
lished in  London.  The  Turks  make  war  upon 
Russia.  The  Jesuits  banished  from  Naples,  Malta, 
and  Parma.  Bougainville  makes  discoveries  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  British  troops  arrived  at  Boston,  and 
took  possession  of  the  State-house,  the  council  hav- 
ing refused  to  provide  barracks  for  them.  Dart- 
mouth College  founded  at  Hanover,  N.  H.  First 
commencement  in  the  college  of  Rhode  Island ; 
founded  in  Bristol  in  1764,  removed  to  Providence 
in  1770.  Edward  Holyoke,  president  of  Harvard 
College,  died,  aged  80.  David  Garrick,  ob.  1779, 
set.  63.  Robert  lord  Clive,  ob.  Nov.  22,  1774. 

1769.  Battles  of  Choczim,  April  30,  July  13,  Sept.  17.  The 

Russian  fleet  enters  the  Mediterranean  in  Dec. 
Paoli  fled  from  Corsica,  June  13,  which  was  re- 
duced. A comet  appears.  Thomas  Gray,  poet,  ob. 
July  30,  1771. 

1770.  The  Turks  defeated  by  the  Russians,  near  the  Pruth, 

Aug.  1.  An  earthquake  at  St.  Domingo.  Bender 
taken  by  storm,  Sept,  28.  A comet  appears.  The 
“ Boston  massacre,*5  in  which  the  inhabitants  were 
fired  on  by  the  British  soldiery  ; three  were  killed, 
and  five  dangerously  wounded,  which  excited  great 
commotion,  March  5.  The  duties  on  goods  imported 
into  America  repealed,  excepting  that  on  tea.  An 
association  formed  not  to  drink  tea,  until  this  act 
should  be  repealed.  George  Whitefield  died  at 
Newburyport,  Mass.,  in  his  56th  year.  Benning 
Wentworth,  late  governor  of  N.  H.,  died  at  Ports- 
mouth, in  his  75th  year.  Oliver  Goldsmith,  ob. 
April  14,  1774.  Edward  lord  Hawke,  ob.  Oct.  17, 
1781. 

1771.  About  500,000  Tourgouths  emigrate  from  the  border 

of  the  Caspian,  to  the  frontiers  of  China.  Lord 


4.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


193 


Mayor  of  London  committed  to  the  Tower,  March 
27.  The  Russians  burn  the  Turkish  fleet  at  Cisme, 
Natolia,  July  5.  Two  comets  appear.  Bishop 
Warburton,  ob.  July  7,  1779.  Lord  Ashburton,  ob. 
Aug.  18,  1783.  Dr.  Smollet,  ob.  set.  61. 

1772.  A revolution  in  Denmark,  and  the  queen  imprisoned, 

Jan.  17.  Insurrection  at  Christianstadt,  which 
effects  a revolution  in  Sweden,  Aug.  13,  and  com- 
pleted at  Stockholm,  Aug.  19.  Poland  partitioned 
by  Russia,  Prussia,  and  Austria.  A comet  appears. 
Samuel  Johnson,  president  of  King’s  College,  N.  Y,, 
died,  aged  76.  Dr.  W.  Hunter,  anatomist,  ob. 
March  15,  1788.  Sir  George  Saville,  ob.  Jan. 
1784. 

1773.  A.  meteoric  stone,  weighing  9|  pounds,  fell  at  Sena  in 

Aragon  on  the  17th  Nov.  Cook  makes  discoveries 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  order  of  the  Jesuits  sup- 
pressed by  a papal  bull,  Aug.  25.  Disturbances  in 
America  begin  at  Boston,  Dec.  18.  Seventeen  men, 
disguised  as  Mohawk  Indians,  emptied  the  cargoes 
of  three  tea  ships,  amounting  to  342  chests,  into  the 
sea.  A comet  appears.  D’Alembert,  ob.  Oct.  27, 
1783.  Capt.  Cook,  ob.  Feb.  14,  1779. 

1774.  Boston  port-bill  passed,  March  31.  Louis  XV.  dies 

May  10,  set.  64.  Turkish  army  destroyed,  June  20. 
Peace  between  Russia  and  Turkey,  July  21.  The 
ancient  parliament  of  Paris  restored,  Nov.  12.  A 
comet  appeared.  The  population  of  Connecticut, 
by  returns  to  the  assembly,  was  190,487  whites, 
50,857  blacks,  1,363  Indians  ; total  196,935.  Bos- 
ton port-bill,  by  which  the  port  was  closed. 

The  continental  congress  assembled  at  Philadelphia, 
Sept.  4,  who  drew  up  a declaration  of  rights,  and 
resolved  to  petition  the  king,  and  address  the  people. 
The  number  of  inhabitants  of  Rhode  Island,  taken 
by  order  of  the  assembly,  was  54,435  whites,  3,761 
blacks,  1,482  Indians  ; total  59,678.  The  census 
of  the  colonies,  exclusive  of  Georgia,  was  3,026,678 
souls. 

L.  Euler,  ob.  Sept.  1783.  Charles  Stuart,  Pretender, 
ob.  March  3,  1788. 

1775.  Hostilities  in  America  begin  at  Lexington,  April  19. 

17 


194  CHRONOLOGY 

4.  I>. 

A detachment  of  800  men,  under  Col.  Smith  and 
Maj.  Pitcairn,  set  out  for  Concord  to  destroy  some 
military  stores  lodged  there  ; but  though  the  great- 
est secrecy  had  been  attempted,  the  news  of  their 
march  had  preceded  them,  and  the  country  was 
alarmed  by  the  ringing  of  church  bells  and  the  firing 
of  signal-guns.  At  Lexington,  April  19th,  70  min- 
ute men  were  assembled  under  arms  near  the  meet- 
ing-house. Maj.  Pitcairn  at  the  head  of  his  battal- 
lion  called  out  to  them,  “ Disperse,  you  rebels ; 
throw  down  your  arms  and  disperse/’  which  not 
being  obeyed,  he  advanced  yet  nearer,  discharged 
his  pistol,  and  ordered  his  men  to  fire.  Several  of 
the  provincials  fell,  and  the  rest  dispersed.  Eight 
Americans  were  killed } three  or  four  by  the  first 
fire,  others  after  they  had  retreated.  The  British 
then  proceeded  to  Concord,  where  they  destroyed 
considerable  military  stores  } but  they  were  terribly 
annoyed  by  the  provincials  on  their  return  to  Boston. 
Of  the  Americans  fifty  men  were  killed  and  several 
wounded  ; of  the  British  65  were  killed,  and  186 
were  wounded.  The  spirit  of  the  country  was 
roused,  and  Boston  was  soon  surrounded  by  an  army 
of  20,000  men,  mostly  undisciplined  militia,  deter- 
mined to  preserve  their  freedom  at  the  expense  even 
of  their  lives,  if  necessary. 

Ticonderoga  was  taken  by  the  militia  under  Coh 
Ethan  Allen,  who  summoned  its  commander  to  sur- 
render, and  the  commander  asking  by  whose  author- 
ity, Allen  replied,  “ Of  the  great  Jehovah  and  the 
Continental  Congress.”  Crown  Point  was  taken  by 
Col.  Seth  Warner.  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  June  17. 
The  British,  with  3000  men,  attempted  to  drive  1000 
Americans  from  their  intrenchments  on  Breed’s, 
commonly  called  Bunker  Hill,  and  with  much  diffi- 
culty succeeded.  The  British  loss  in  killed,  wound- 
ed, and  missing,  was  1050,  of  whom  226  were 
killed,  and  among  them  19  commissioned  officers. 
The  American  loss  was  453,  of  whom  139  were 
killed,  and  among  them  Gen.  Joseph  Warren,  of 
Boston.  Gen.  George  Washington  was  chosen  by 
the  American  congress,  connnander-in-chief,  who 


A . D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


19S, 


arrived  at  Cambridge  July  2.  Gen.  Montgomery, 
after  taking  St.  John’s  and  Montreal,  arrived  at 
Quebec,  where  he  was  joined  by  Col.  Arnold,  who 
had  penetrated  with  a detachment  by  the  way  of 
Kennebec  river  through  the  wilderness.  In  the  as- 
sault  on  Quebec,  Montgomery  was  killed,  and  a part 
of  the  assailants  surrendered.  Sir  William  Howe 
succeeded  Gen.  Gage  in  the  command  of  the  British 
army. 

St.  John’s  taken  by  Montgomery,  Nov.  2.  Assault  of 
Quebec,  Dec.  31.  Dr.  S.  Johnson,  ob.  Dec.  13, 
1784. 

1776.  General  Howe  leaves  Boston,  March  17. — The  Amer- 
icans fortified  themselves  on  Dorchester  heigh n, 
which  commanded  the  harbor  of  Boston,  and  obliged 
the  British  to  retire  from  the  harbor  and  town, 
March  17,  and  Gen.  Washington  entered  Boston. 
Canada  was  evacuated  by  Arnold,  June  18.  Con- 
gress declares  itself  independent,  July  4.  This 
great  event  took  place  284  years  after  the  discovery 
of  America  by  Columbus,  166  from  the  first  effect- 
ual settlement  in  Virginia,  and  156  from  the  first 
settlement  of  Plymouth,  Mass.,  which  were  the 
earliest  English  settlements  in  America.— Attack  on 
Charleston,  June  28.  Early  in  the  summer,  the 
British,  under  admiral  Sir  Peter  Parker,  and  Gene- 
rals Clinton  and  Cornwallis,  made  an  attack  on 
Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  were  repulsed  with  consider- 
able loss.  After  the  evacuation  of  Boston,  Gen. 
Washington  proceeded  to  New  York,  which  he  sup- 
posed would  be  the  next  object  of  attack.  In  June 
the  British  force,  after  reinforcements,  consisting  of 
35,000  men,  appeared  in  the  harbor  of  New  York, 
to  whom  Washington  could  oppose  only  17,000  men, 
chiefly  militia,  provided  with  few  of  the  munitions 
of  war. — Battle  on  Long  Island,  Aug.  27.  Gen. 
Howe  landed  on  the  south  side  of  Long  Island,  Aug. 
22,  near  New  Utrecht.  Battle  of  Flatbush,  Aug. 
27,  in  which  the  Americans  were  defeated  with 
great  loss,  and  Gen.  Sullivan  and  lord  Stirling  were 
made  prisoners.  The  American  loss  in  killed  and 
wounded  was  probably  about  2000  ; the  British  loss 


196  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  Be 

in  killed  and  wounded  did  not  exceed  400.  After 
the  disastrous  battle  of  Flatbush,  Washington  re- 
solved to  retreat  from  Long  Island,  which  he  did  in 
a single  night,  Aug.  29,  unobserved  by  the  enemy, 
who  were  not  more  than  600  yards  distant  from  the 
American  army.  In  September  the  city  of  New 
York  was  abandoned  by  the  American  army,  and 
taken  possession  of  by  the  British.  Soon  after  this 
event,  Capt.  Nathan  Hale,  of  the  American  army, 
was  executed  as  a spy  by  the  British  with  great 
cruelty.  He  was  denied  the  attendance  of  a clergy- 
man and  the  use  of  a Bible,  and  the  letters  to  his 
friends  were  destroyed,  “ that  the  rebels  should  not 
know  that  they  had  a man  in  their  army  who  could 
die  with  so  much  firmness.55  He  regretted  that  he 
had  but  one  life  to  lose  for  his  country.  This  sad 
event  doubtless  contributed  afterwards  to  render  the 
case  of  the  unfortunate  Andre  hopeless. — Washing- 
ton crossed  the  Delaware  Dec.  25,  and  the  next 
morning  captured  more  than  900  Hessians  at  Tren- 
ton. Their  commander,  Col.  Rahl,  was  killed. 
New  York  taken,  Sept.  15,  and  Fort  Washington, 
Nov.  16.  Rhode  Island  occupied,  Dec.  8.  Austria 
grants  religious  toleration,  and  abolishes  torture. 
Bishop  Lowth,  ob.  Nov.  1787.  Dr.  Adam  Smith, 
ob.  1790,  set.  67. 

1777.  Washington,  Jan.  2,  proceeded  to  Princeton  and  de- 
feated the  British,  who  lost  about  500  men.  Lafay- 
ette, aged  about  20  years,  arrived  from  France,  and 
was  afterwards  made  a major-general  in  the  Ameri- 
can army.  General  Burgoyne  takes  Ticonderoga, 
July  6.  Gen.  Howe  lands  in  Chesapeake  Bay, 
Aug.  30.  Battle  on  the  Brandywine,  Sept.  11,  be- 
tween the  British,  commanded  by  Cornwallis,  and 
the  Americans,  under  Washington.  The  Americans 
lost  300  killed  and  600  wounded,  and  several  hun- 
dred, chiefly  the  wounded,  were  made  prisoners. 
La  Fayette  was  among  the  wounded.  The  British 
lost  100  killed  and  400  wounded.  The  British  take 
Philadelphia,  Sept.  26.  Battle  of  Germantown, 
Oct.  4.  Of  the  Americans  200  were  killed,  nearly 
600  wounded,  and  400  made  prisoners.  The  British 


A.  D. 


OP  THE  WORLD. 


197 


had  near  100  killed  and  500  wounded.  Surrender 
of  Gen.  Burgoyne’s  army,  Oct.  16.  Gen.  Burgoyne 
having  taken  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga,  arrived 
at  Fort  Edward  on  Hudson  river  July  30,  having 
been  much  annoyed  on  his  march.  His  force  was 
7,173  of  the  best  British  troops  ; the  American  army 
did  not  exceed  5,000  men,  but  was  continually  in- 
creasing. To  destroy  some  provisions  and  stores 
lodged  at  Bennington,  Vt.,  a detachment  of  600  men 
under  Col.  Baum,  which  was  reinforced  by  500  men 
under  Col.  Breyman,  was  sent  to  seize  them.  They 
were  met  by  Col.  Starke,  at  the  head  of  the  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont  militia,  amounting  to  about 
1,400  ; and  they  captured  from  the  British  600  men, 
4 brass  field-pieces,  1000  stand  of  arms,  and  900 
swords.  On  the  eve  of  the  battle  the  brave  Starke 
is  said  to  have  addressed  his  men  : “ Fellow-soldiers, 
I am  not  much  accustomed  to  speech-making,  but 
there  are  the  British,  and  we  must  beat  them,  or 
Mary  Starke  sleeps  a widow  to-night.55  The  loss  of 
the  British  was  700  men,  in  killed,  wounded,  and 
prisoners ; of  the  Americans,  100  in  killed  and 
wounded.  After  some  severe  fighting  between  the 
main  bodies  of  the  forces,  the  continental  troops  had 
increased  to  9,000  men,  and  the  militia  to  about 
4,000  men.  A battle  was  fought  at  Stillwater,  near 
Saratoga,  by  the  Americans  under  Gen.  Gates,  in 
which  the  British,  under  Gen.  Burgoyne,  were  de- 
feated, and  compelled  to  surrender  their  whole  force 
to  the  Americans,  Oct.  17,  to  the  amount  of  5,752 
men.  There  were  also  surrendered  5,000  stand  of 
arms,  400  sets  of  harness,  a number  of  ammunition 
wagons,  &c.  The  surrender  of  Burgoyne  diffused 
joy  over  America,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  a 
treaty  of  alliance  with  France.  Vermont,  in  con- 
vention, declared  itself  an  independent  state.  New 
York  had  opposed  their  independence,  and  congress, 
for  fear  of  offending  this  important  state,  had  not 
dared  to  receive  them  as  such.  Though  no  state 
was  more  cordial  in  their  attachment  to  the  Ameri- 
can cause,  or  did  more  for  it  in  proportion  to  their 
strength  ; the  British  hoped  to  detach  Vermont  from 
17* 


198  CHRONOLOGY 

A . D. 

the  American  cause,  and  forbore  to  invade  them  for 
this  purpose  ; and  the  wise  heads  of  Vermont,  with- 
out committing  themselves,  cherished  this  delusion  ; 
yet  the  Green  Mountain  boys  were  proverbial  for 
their  patriotism  and  their  bravery.  John  Hancock 
resigned  the  presidency  of  the  American  congress, 
having  presided  over  it  for  two  years,  and  Henry 
Laurens  was  appointed  in  his  place.  Buffon,  ob. 
April  16,  1788. 

1778®  Treaty  between  France  and  America,  Feb.  6.  Evacu- 
ation of  Philadelphia,  June  18.— The  British  evacu- 
ate Philadelphia,  June  18,  and  proceed  towards  New 
York.  Battle  of  Monmouth  courthouse,  between 
Washington  and  Sir  Henry  Clinton.  The  British 
were  defeated  in  a hard-fought  battle,  and  compelled 
to  retire  with  great  loss,  June  28.  War  between 
Austria  and  Prussia,  July  7.  Battle  between  the 
English  and  French  fleets,  July  27.  Gen.  Lee  was 
suspended,  for  disobedience  to  orders,  for  one  year, 
by  a court-martial,  and  never  afterwards  joined  the 
army.  The  French  fleet  under  D’Estaing  arrived, 
to  assist  the  Americans.  Wyoming,  in  Pa.,  con- 
taining 1000  inhabitants,  was  captured  by  the  tories 
and  Indians  under  Col.  Butler,  and  the  inhabitants 
massacred,  July.  Rhode  Island  besieged,  Aug.  9 
to  30.  Pondicherry  taken,  Oct.  17.  French  routed 
at  St.  Lucia,  Dec.  18.  Savannah  taken  by  the 
British,  Dec.  29.  M.  Diderot,  ob.  April,  1785. 

1779,  Meteoric  stones  fell  at  Pettiswood,  in  Westmeath,  in 
Ireland.  Peace  between  the  Prussians  and  Imperi- 
alists, May  13.  The  French  take  St.  Vincent’s, 
June  17.  Naval  engagement  between  Byron  and 
d’Estaing  off  Grenada,  July  6.  A dreadful  erup- 
tion of  Vesuvius,  Aug.  8.  Gibraltar  besieged  by 
the  Spaniards  in  July.  A comet  appears.  Norfolk, 
Gosport,  Portsmouth,  and  Suffolk,  Va.,  burned. 
Stony  Point  taken  by  the  British  in  June.  The 
British  capture  and  destroy  military  stores  at  Dan- 
bury, and  burn  Fairfield  and  Norwalk,  with  some 
loss.  The  American  Gen.  Wayne  captured  Stony 
Point  from  the  British,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
July  15;  and  the  garrison  of  543  men  were  made 


A.  B. 


OF  THE  W0RLB. 


199 


prisoners,  and  considerable  military  stores  were 
taken.  The  British  had  63  men  killed.  Paul  Jones 
captured  the  British  frigate  Serapis,  of  44  guns,  off 
the  coast  of  England,  Sept.  23.  Eleazer  Wheelock, 
first  president  of  Dartmouth  college,  died,  set.  69. 
William  Henry  Drayton,  of  S.  C.,  died  in  his  37th 
year. 

1780.  Sir  George  Rodney  takes  22  sail  of  Spanish  ships, 

Jan.  8,  and  engages  Langara,  Jan.  16,  near  Cape 
Vincent.  Naval  battle  between  the  English  and 
French,  off  Martinique,  April  17,  Charleston  sur- 
renders to  the  British,  May  12.  The  French  and 
Spanish  fleets  take  five  British  East  Indiamen,  and  a 
large  fleet  of  West  India  ships,  Aug.  9.  Lord  Corn- 
wallis defeats  the  Americans  at  Camden,  Aug.  16. 
Charleston  besieged  and  taken  by  the  British,  May 
12.  The  Americans  under  Gen.  Gates,  were  de- 
feated by  the  British  under  Lord  Cornwallis,  Aug. 
16.  The  Americans  lost  48  officers,  78  subalterns, 
and  604  rank  and  file.  Baron  de  Kalb  was  mortal- 
ly wounded,  and  soon  died.  The  British  lost  325, 
of  whom  65  were  killed,  245  wounded,  and  11  miss- 
ing. The  Americans  lost  their  whole  baggage  and 
artillery.  Gen.  Gates  was  superseded  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  south  by  Gen.  Greene,  and  his  conduct 
in  the  battle  of  Camden  was  submitted  to  a court  of 
inquiry.  Gen.  Lee  and  Gen.  Gates  had  been  sus- 
pected of  a design  to  supplant  Gen.  Washington, 
which  they  denied.  They  had  now  both  fallen  un- 
der censure.  Arnold  treacherously  agreed  to  deliver 
up  the  strong  fortress  of  West  Point,  and  Maj.  An- 
dre, in  arranging  the  business,  was  taken  as  a spy, 
and  was  hung  Oct.  2.  Washington  wished  to  ex- 
change him  for  Arnold,  which  he  could  not  effect. 
Torture  abolished  in  France,  Aug.  25.  A dreadful 
hurricane  in  the  Leeward  islands,  in  Oct.  War 
with  Holland,  Dec.  20.  A comet  appears.  Sir  W. 
Blackstone,  ob.  set,  57. 

1781.  St.  Eustatia  taken  by  the  British,  Feb.  3,  and  re- 

taken, Nov.  17.  The  Georgium  Sidus  discovered 
by  Dr.  Herschel,  13th  March.  Cornwallis  defeats 
the  Americans,  at  Guilford,  March  15.  Battle  of 


200  CHRONOLOGY 

A-  D. 

the  Dogger  bank,  between  the  English  and  Dutch 
fleets,  Aug.  5.  Cornwallis’s  army  surrenders  to  the 
Americans,  at  Yorktown,  Oct  19.  Gen.  Morgan  de- 
feated the  British  Col.  Tarleton  at  Cowpens.  The 
British  loss  was  300  killed  or  wounded,  and  500 
taken  prisoners,  and  considerable  arms  and  military 
stores  were  obtained.  Battle  of  Guilford  court- 
house, in  which  Gen.  Greene  was  defeated  by  Lord 
Cornwallis.  Battle  of  Eutau  Springs,  in  which  the 
British  lost  1,100  men,  and  the  Americans  555. 
Gen.  Washington,  at  the  head  of  the  combined  army 
of  Americans  and  French,  amounting  to  12,000 
men,  crossed  Hudson  river,  and  proceeded  through 
Philadelphia  to  Virginia,  and  besieged  Yorktown, 
occupied  by  Lord  Cornwallis,  Sept.  8.  On  the  19th 
of  Ootober,  Cornwallis  surrendered  to  the  combined 
force  of  the  Americans  and  French,  7,073  prisoners, 
exclusive  of  seamen.  Arnold,  sent  by  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  burned  60  dwelling-houses,  84  stores,  and  a 
great  amount  of  property,  in  New  London,  and  cap- 
tured Fort  Griswold,  in  Groton,  opposite,  putting  the 
garrison  to  the  sword  after  they  had  surrendered, 
and  returned  to  New  York.  Muslins  made  in  Eng- 
land. Two  comets  appear. 

1782.  The  Spaniards  take  Minorca,  Feb.  4.  A battle  be- 
tween the  English  and  French  fleets  near  Trinco- 
malee,  Feb,  17.  The  French  fleet  under  De  Grasse, 
defeated  by  Rodney,  April  12.  The  Spaniards  be- 
sieged Gibraltar  from  1780  to  Sept.  13,  1782,  when 
their  floating  batteries  were  burnt  by  red-hot  balls. 
Charleston  evacuated,  Dec.  14.  Connecticut  con- 
tained 209,150  inhabitants,  as  taken  by  order  of  the 
assembly.  Mary  Washington,  the  mother  of  Gen. 
George  Washington,  died  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
Aug.  25,  aged  82  years.  Washington  had  a pecu- 
liar veneration  for  his  mother  ; and  at  the  earliest 
practicable  opportunity  after  the  surrender  at  York- 
town, he  visited  her,  and  invited  a number  of  dis- 
tinguished French  officers  to  accompany  him.  They 
arrived  at  her  mansion  at  evening,  and  shortly  after, 
this  venerable  lady  was  introduced  to  them,  leaning 
on  the  arm  of  her  son.  They  spent  the  former  part 


A*  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


201 


of  the  evening  pleasantly  together,  and  she  retired 
early,  wishing  them  a good-night,  and  much  happi- 
ness in  their  interview,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her 
son.  It  would  have  been  a fine  scene  for  a painter. 
The  French  officers  were  struck  with  the  strong 
good  sense  and  dignified  politeness  of  this  lady  of 
the  old  school,  and  remarked  among  themselves  that 
it  was  no  wonder  that  America  produced  great  men, 
since  they  had  such  mothers.  Her  tombstone  has 
the  simple  but  eloquent  inscription,  “ Mary,  the 
mother  of  Washington. ” And  what  greater  eulogy 
could  a lady  receive  than  that  of  having  contributed, 
by  early  discipline  and  instruction,  to  form  the  char- 
acter of  Washington?  M.  d’Anville,  ob.  set.  80. 
Lord  Kaimes,  ob.  set.  86.  Metastasio,  set.  84.  D. 
Bernoulli,  set.  82. 

1783.  Preliminaries  of  peace  between  Britain,  France,  and 

Spain,  Jan.  20,  and  America  declared  independent. 
Armistice  between  England  and  Holland,  Feb.  De- 
finitive treaty,  Sept.  8.  Messina,  &c.  destroyed  by 
an  earthquake,  Feb.  5.  A comet  appears.  Great 
Britain  acknowledged  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  and  preliminary  articles  of  peace  were 
signed  at  Versailles,  between  the  American  and 
British  commissioners,  Jan.  20.  By  official  accounts 
furnished  to  the  British  parliament,  the  number  of 
men  who  were  killed  or  died  during  the  American 
war,  was  43,633.  The  number  of  inhabitants  in 
Rhode  Island,  taken  by  order  of  the  assembly  this 
year,  was  51,897.  The  cessation  of  hostilities  with 
Great  Britain  was  proclaimed  to  the  American  army 
by  Washington,  April  19,  which  completed  the  eighth 
year  of  the  war.  New  York  evacuated  by  the 
British,  and  taken  possession  of  by  Washington, 
Nov.  25.  Washington  separated  from  the  army, 
Dec.  4,  and  resigned  his  commission  in  person  to 
congress,  at  Annapolis,  Dec.  23.  Dickinson  college, 
at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  founded.  William  Alexander,  earl 
of  Stirling,  major-general  in  the  American  army, 
died  at  Albany,  aged  57  years. 

1784.  Peace  ratified  with  America,  March  24,  and  with 

Holland,  May  24.  Archindschan,  in  Turkey,  de- 


202  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

stroyed  by  an  earthquake,  and  12,000  inhabitants 
buried  in  its  ruins,  July  18.  Two  comets  appear. 
Hartford,  New  Haven,  New  London,  Norwich,  and 
Middletown,  in  Connecticut,  were  incorporated  as 
cities.  The  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce  in- 
stituted. 

1785.  About  2,000  religious  houses  suppressed  by  the  em- 

peror of  Germany.  An  earthquake  in  Calabria, 
April  10.  A severe  frost  in  Germany,  which  lasted 
115  days.  A violent  storm  in  France,  Aug.  5, 
which  laid  waste  131  villages  and  farms.  Two 
comets  appear.  John  Adams,  first  ambassador  of 
the  United  States  to  the  Court  of  Great  Britain,  was 
received  at  Court,  June  2,  The  king  stated  to  him 
that  himself  was  the  last  man  to  consent  to  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  States  ; but  having  done  so,  he 
would  be  the  last  person  to  disturb  the  peace  between 
the  two  countries.  Jonathan  Trumbull,  governor  of 
Connecticut,  died  at  Lebanon,  Ct.,  Aug.  17,  in  his 
75th  year.  He  was  the  efficient  auxiliary  of  Wash- 
ington. Maj.  Gen.  James  Oglethorpe,  founder  of 
Georgia,  died  in  England,  aged  about  97  years.  He 
was  the  oldest  general  in  British  service  ; and  on  the 
return  of  Gen.  Gage  to  England  in  1775,  he  received 
the  offer  of  the  chief  command  of  the  British  army 
in  America,  and  professed  his  readiness  to  accept  it, 
if  the  ministry  would  authorize  him  to  assure  the 
colonies  that  justice  should  be  done  to  them  ; but 
this  was  a hard  condition,  and  the  command  was 
given  to  Sir  William  Howe.  Dr.  Matthew  Stewart, 
ob.  set.  68. 

1786.  Torture  abolished  in  Sweden.  Cardinal  Tourlone, 

the  high  inquisitor  at  Rome,  hung  on  a gibbet  50 
feet  high.  Treaty  of  commerce  with  France,  signed 
Oct.  29.  An  earthquake  in  Scotland,  and  north  of 
England,  Aug.  11.  A plague  in  the  Levant.  A 
comet  appears.  Rebellion  in  Massachusetts  under 
Daniel  Shays.  It  originated  in  the  difficulty  of  pay- 
ing the  taxes,  and  the  scarcity  of  money  after  the 
war.  A convention  of  five  states  met  at  Annapolis, 
to  concert  an  amendment  in  the  government  respect- 
ing the  commerce  and  trade  of  the  country,  and  the 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


203 


provision  of  a revenue  Portland,  Me.,  incorporated. 
Harrisburg,  Pa  , founded.  Printing  commenced  in 
Lexington,  Ky.  Major-general  Nathaniel  Greene, 
late  of  the  United  States  army,  died  at  his  seat  near 
Savannah,  Ga.,  aged  47  years. 

1787.  The  settlers  of  Botany  Bay  first  sailed  from  England, 

March  21.  Banks  established  in  the  East  Indies. 
Earthquake  in  New  Spain,  April  18.  The  Prus- 
sians take  Amsterdam,  Oct.  9.  France  and  Eng- 
land agree  to  disarm,  Oct.  9.  Contest  between  the 
king  of  France  and  parliament  begins.  Christiana 
nearly  destroyed  by  fire,  April  9.  The  2d  and  4th 
satellites  of  the  Georgium  Sidus  discovered  by  Dr. 
Herschel,  Jan.  11.  A comet  appeared.  Shay’s  re- 
bellion continued,  and  was  quelled  by  an  armed 
force  under  Gen.  Lincoln,  March  10.  The  consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  formed  by  a convention 
at  Philadelphia,  of  which  Gen.  Washington  was 
president,  and  submitted  to  the  states  for  their  ratifi- 
cation, Oct.  4.  Bishop  Lowth,  ob.  set.  77. 

1788.  War  between  Turkey,  Germany,  and  Russia.  Treaty 

between  Britain  and  Russia,  Jan.  13.  The  United 
States  of  Holland  guaranty  the  stadtholdership  to 
the  Prince  of  Orange,  June  27.  Russia  makes  war 
upon  Sweden,  June  30.  Choczim  taken,  Sept.  29. 
Kirkwall  nearly  destroyed  by  the  breaking  down  of 
the  dam-dikes,  Oct.  4.  Assembly  of  the  French 
notables,  Nov.  6.  Oczakow  taken,  Dec.  17.  Island 
of  Formosa  shakes  off  the  Chinese  yoke,  and  10,000 
Chinese  massacred.  William  White  consecrated  in 
London,  bishop  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Samuel  Prevost, 
bishop  of  New  York.  Settlement  of  Ohio  began  at 
Marietta,  under  Gen.  Rufus  Putnam.  Baltimore 
contained  1,959  houses.  John  Ledyard,  the  cele- 
brated American  traveller,  died  at  Cairo,  Egypt,  in 
his  38th  year.  The  constitution  proposed  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  was  adopted  by  all  the 
states  except  North  Carolina  and  Rhode  Island,  and 
by  them  subsequently. 

The  following  shows  the  ratification  by  the  several 
states  in  convention  of  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States  : 


CHRONOLOGY 


204 


Delaware, 

Dec.  3,  1787, 

Majority. 

unanimously. 

Pennsylvania* 

Dec.  3, 

46  to  23, 
unanimously. 

23 

New  Jersey, 

Dec.  19, 

Georgia, 

Jan.  2,  1788, 

unanimously. 

Connecticut, 

Jan.  9, 

128  to  40, 

88 

Massachusetts, 

, Feb.  6, 

187  to  168, 

19 

Maryland, 

April  28, 

63  to  12, 

51 

South  Carolina,  May  23, 

149  to  73, 

76 

N.  Hampshire 

, June  21, 

57  to  46, 

11 

Virginia, 

June  25, 

89  to  79, 

10 

New  York, 
N.  Carolina, 

July  26, 

30  to  25, 

5 

Nov.  27,  1789, 

193  to  75, 

118 

Rhode  Island, 

May  29,  1790, 

2 

Vermont, 

Jan.  19,  1791, 

by  a great  major. 

It  is  remarkable  that  in  the  states  most  jealous  for 
liberty,  the  constitution  encountered  the  greatest  op- 
position. But  opposition  to  it  has  long  since  ceased. 

Two  comets  appear. 

1789.  Insurrections  in  France,  March.  States-General  of 
France  assembled,  May  5.  The  French  fleet  dis- 
persed by  a storm  in  Bantry-Bay,  in  an  attempt  upon 
Ireland,  Jan.  The  French  king  makes  concessions, 
June  28.  Revolution  in  France,  which  is  declared 
a republic,  July  3.  Bastille  destroyed,  July  14. 
Insurrection  in  Brabant,  Aug.  10.  Meteoric  stones 
fell  at  Barbotan  near  Bordeaux,  and  killed  a herds- 
man and  a bullock,  on  the  20th  August.  Bender 
taken,  Oct.  8.  Surrender  of  Ghent,  Nov.  23,  and 
of  Brussels,  Dec.  12.  Earthquake  in  Tuscany, 
which  caused  great  devastation,  Sept.  30.  Dr. 
Herschel  discovers  the  6th  and  7th  satellites  of  Sat- 
urn. Washington  was  inaugurated  as  first  president 
of  the  United  States,  in  the  open  gallery  of  the  old 
Federal  Hall,  in  Wall  street,  N.  Y.,  in  the  presence 
of  a great  concourse  of  joyful  citizens.  Never  did 
a heartier  shout  proceed  from  the  mouths  of  freemen, 
than  that  which  greeted  the  conclusion  of  the  cere- 
mony with  “ long  live  George  Washington.55  Wash- 
ington  appointed  Mr.  Jefferson,  Secretary  of  State  ; 
Col.  Hamilton,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  ; General 
Knox,  Secretary  of  War  ; Edmund  Randolph,  At- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


205 


torney-General ; John  Jay,  of  New  York,  Chief 
Justice  of  the  United  States  ; John  Rutledge,  of  S.  C., 
James  Wilson,  of  Pa.,  William  Cushing,  of  Mass., 
Robert  Harrison,  of  Md.,  and  John  Blair,  of  Va., 
Associate  Justices.  President  Washington  made  the 
tour  of  New  England,  and  everywhere  received  the 
highest  tokens  of  respect,  Oct.  Gen.  Ethan  Allen 
died  at  Colchester,  Vt.,  Feb.  13,  aged  52  years. 

1790.  A great  shower  of  meteoric  stones  fell  in  the  south  of 

France,  on  the  24th  of  July.  Assignats  issued  in 
France,  April  17.  About  4,500  religious  houses 
suppressed  in  France.  Titles  of  honor  abolished 
in  France.  Earthquake  in  Westmoreland,  March  6. 
Two  comets  appear.  Presbyterian  General  Assem- 
bly and  Episcopal  Convention  first  meet.  National 
debt  funded.  Gen.  Harmar  defeated  by  the  Indians, 
near  Chillicothe.  Tennessee  erected  into  a territory. 
District  of  Columbia  ceded  by  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia to  the  United  States  for  the  seat  of  the  Federal 
Government.  Population  of  the  United  States  by 
the  census,  3,929,326  ; of  whom  695,655  were 
slaves.  Benjamin  Franklin  died  at  Philadelphia, 
April  17,  in  his  85th  year.  Israel  Putnam,  late 
major-general  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  died 
at  Brooklyn,  Ct.,  aged  72  years.  James  Bowdoin, 
late  governor  of  Mass.,  died  at  Boston,  Nov.  6,  in 
his  64th  year.  Dr.  Cullen,  ob.  set.  77.  General 
Roy,  ob.  Dr.  Henry,  ob. 

1791.  Political  riot  in  Birmingham,  July  14.  The  king, 

queen,  and  royal  family  of  France,  attempting  to 
escape  out  of  the  kingdom,  are  brought  back  prison- 
ers to  Paris,  June  21.  Insurrection  of  35,000  ne- 
groes at  St.  Domingo,  Sept.  Protestants  allowed  to 
have  churches  in  France.  Bangalore  taken  by 
Cornwallis.  Battle  of  Seringapatam.  The  French 
defeated  by  the  Austrians  near  Mons,  April  30.  At 
Constantinople,  32,000  houses  were  destroyed  by  an 
earthquake  between  March  and  July.  Earthquake 
in  Scotland,  in  October  ; in  Sicily  and  Calabria,  Oc- 
tober ; at  Lisbon,  Nov.  27  ; at  Zant,  in  the  Adriatic, 
December  2.  City  of  Washington,  in  America, 
founded.  An  act  in  favor  of  the  Roman  Catholics 
18 


206  CHRONOLOGY 

A,  D. 

passed.  Vermont  admitted  to  the  union,  Feb.  18. 
Gen.  St.  Clair  defeated  by  the  Miami  Indians,  and 
retreated,  with  great  loss,  to  Fort  Washington,  (now 
Cincinnati.)  The  revenue  this  year  was  $4,771,000  ; 
the  exports  were  $19,000,000,  and  the  imports 
$20,000,000.  Raleigh,  N.  C.,  founded  as  the  future 
capital  of  the  state.  The  University  of  Vermont  at 
Burlington,  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  at 
Philadelphia,  founded.  The  United  States  Bank, 
with  a capital  of  $10,000,000,  founded  at  Philadel- 
phia. First  spinning  of  cotton  by  water  power,  by 
Samuel  Slater,  at  Pawtucket,  R.  I.  ; he  had  been 
the  pupil  of  Arkwright  and  Strutt,  in  England. 
James  Manning,  first  president  of  Rhode  Island 
college,  died  at  Providence,  July  29,  in  his  53d 
year.  Dr.  Price,  ob.  set.  68. 

1792.  France  declares  itself  a republic.  Leopold,  emperor 

of  Germany,  poisoned,  March  1.  King  of  Sweden 
assassinated,  March  16.  Earthquake  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Bedford,  Leicester,  Lincoln,  Nottingham, 
&c.,  March  2.  The  lake  of  Harentoren,  which  is 
a mile  in  circuit,  in  Kerry,  sinks  into  the  ground, 
March  25.  The  king  of  France  renounces  his 
crown,  Aug.  10,  and  is  confined  in  the  Temple. 
Battle  of  Seringapatam  between  Tippoo  and  Lord 
Cornwallis.  The  Austrians  defeated  at  Longwy, 
Aug.  14.  The  French  defeated  at  Grand-pre,  Sept. 
10.  Battle  of  Valory,  French  and  Austrians,  Sept. 
20  ; of  Menehould,  French  and  Prussians,  Oct.  2 ; 
of  Hanau,  Oct.  27  ; of  Bossu,  Nov.  4 ; of  Jemappe, 
Nov.  6 ; of  Thirlemont,  Nov.  17.  The  French 
take  Liege.  Kentucky  admitted  to  the  union,  June 
1.  U.  States  mint  established  at  Philadelphia.  Hen- 
ry Laurens,  late  president  of  congress,  died  in  South 
Carolina,  in  his  70th  year.  J.  Smeaton,  ob.  set.  68. 
Sir  J.  Reynolds,  ob.  set.  68.  Sir  R.  Arkwright,  ob. 

1793.  Holland  invaded  by  the  French.  King  of  France 

tried,  Jan.  19,  condemned,  Jan.  20,  and  put  to  death 
Jan.  22.  A piece  of  land  in  Finland,  4000  square 
ells  in  extent,  sunk  15  fathoms  in  Feb.  Queen  be- 
headed, Oct.  16.  The  English,  Prussians,  Austri- 
ans, Sardinians,  and  Italian  States,  make  war  upon 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


207 


France.  Admiral  Hood  takes  Toulon.  Battle  of 
Hockheim,  Austrians  and  French,  Jan.  7 ; of  Alden- 
hoven,  Feb.  28  ; of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Jan.  15  ; of 
Tongres,  March  4 ; of  Jurvienden,  March  18  ; of 
Thirlemont,  March  19  ; of  Lovaine,  March  22;  of 
Coblentz,  April  1 ; of  Cassel,  April  7 ; of  Tournay, 
Austrians,  English,  and  French,  May  8 ; of  St. 
Amand,  May  10  ; of  Valennes,  allies  and  French, 
May  23  ; of  Manheim,  May  30  ; of  Furnes,  Dutch 
and  French,  June  21,  and  Austrians  and  French, 
June  26  ; of  Villiers,  July  18  ; of  Cambray,  Aug. 
9 ; of  Lincelles,  Aug.  18  ; of  Furnes,  Aug.  21  ; of 
Rexmond,  Aug.  29  ; of  Dunkirk,  English  and 
French,  Sept.  7 ; of  Quesnoy,  Sept.  11  ; of  Li  111- 
bach,  Austrians  and  French,  Sept.  12;  of  Menin, 
Sept.  15  ; of  Toulon,  English  and  French,  Oct.  1 ; 
of  Weissenburg,  Austrians  and  French.  Oct.  14  ; 
of  Maubeuge,  allies  and  the  French,  Oct.  16  ; of 
Birlemont,  Oct.  16  ; of  Orchies,  Oct.  20  ; of  Wan- 
zenaw,  Oct.  25  ; of  Landau,  Nov.  29  ; of  Toulon, 
which  surrenders  to  the  French,  Nov.  19  ; of  Le- 
bach,  Nov.  27  ; of  Rousillon,  Spaniards  and  French, 
Dec.  11  ; of  Perpignan,  Dec.  20.  The  French 
under  Moreau  take  Ypres,  June  17.  Earthquake  at 
St.  Domingo,  April ; at  Shaftesbury  and  Salisbury, 
Sept.  29.  Two  comets  appear.  Gen.  Washington 
re-elected  president,  and  John  Adams  vice-president, 
of  the  United  States.  Washington  issues  a procla- 
mation of  neutrality.  The  French  minister,  Genet, 
produces  much  disturbance,  and  is  recalled  by  re- 
quest of  President  Washington.  Williams  College, 
Mass.,  founded.  Entered  the  port  of  New  York 
683  foreign  vessels,  and  1381  coastwise.  Yellow 
fever  prevailed  in  Philadelphia,  of  which  3645  per- 
sons died.  Exports  of  the  U.  States  $26,000,000. 
John  Hancock,  first  president  of  the  American  con- 
gress, died  at  Boston,  aged  56  years.  Roger  Sher- 
man, signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
died  July  23,  aged  72  years.  Congress  lay  a foun- 
dation for  the  American  navy,  by  authorizing  the 
building  of  6 frigates,  March  30.  Principal  Robert- 
son, ob.,  set.  72. 


208 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1794.  Twelve  meteoric  stones  fell  near  Sienna  in  Tuscany, 
on  the  16th  of  June.  Insurrection  of  the  negroes  at 
St.  Domingo.  Slave  trade  abolished  by  the  French, 
Feb.  4.  The  French  take  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Sept.  21. 
Antwerp  taken,  July  24.  Battle  of  Oppenheim,  be- 
tween the  allies  and  French,  Jan.  8;  of  Waterloo, 
Jan.  23  ; of  Werwick,  March  1 ; of  Bayonne,  Span- 
iards and  French,  March  19 ; of  Perle,  allies  and 
French,  March  22 ; of  Cateau,  March  28  ; of  Cra- 
cow, Russians  and  Poles,  April  4 ; of  Durkheim, 
allies  and  French,  April  5;  of  Piedmont,  Sardinians 
and  French,  April  6 ; of  Crombeck,  allies  and  French, 
April  14  ; of  Arlon,  April  17  ; of  Warsaw,  Russians 
and  Poles,  April  21 ; of  Landrecy,  allies  and  French, 
April  24;  of  Cambray,  English  and  French,  April 
24 ; of  Cateau,  April  26  ; of  Courtray,  allies  and 
French,  April  29 ; of  Ostend,  May  5 ; of  Montes- 
quan,  Spaniards  and  French,  May  1 ; of  Aosta,  Sar- 
dinians and  French,  May  2 ; of  Saorgia,  May  8 ; of 
Tournay,  English  and  French,  May  18  ; of  Bouillon, 
allies  and  F rench ; of  Tournay,  May  22 ; of  Lautern, 
May  23  ; of  Lithuania,  Russians  and  Poles,  June  3 ; 
of  Piliczke ; of  Barcelona,  Spaniards  and  French, 
June  14  ; of  Charleroi,  Dutch  and  French,  June  17  ; 
of  Cracow,  Prussians  and  Poles ; of  Aost,  Sardinians 
and  French,  June  26  ; of  Puycerda,  Spaniards  and 
French,  June  26 ; of  Manheim,  allies  and  French, 
July  12  ; of  Fontarabia,  Spaniards  and  French,  Aug. 
2;  of  Bellegarde,  Spaniards  and  French,  Aug.  26; 
of  valley  of  Leira,  Sept.  8 ; of  Maestricht,  allies  and 
French,  Sept.  18 ; of  Clermont,  Sept.  20 ; of  Pied- 
mont, Sept.  23  ; of  Posnania,  Prussians  and  Poles, 
Sept.  24;  of  Milan,  Sardinians  and  French,  Sept. 
31 ; of  Emmerick,  allies  and  French,  Oct.  2 ; of 
Warsaw,  in  which  the  Prussians  totally  defeat  the 
Poles,  Oct.  12  ; of  Druten,  English  and  French,  Oct. 
20  ; of  Pampeluna,  Spaniards  and  French,  Oct.  28  ; 
of  Nimuegen,  allies  and  French,  Nov.  4 ; of  Sendo- 
mir,  Poles  and  Prussians,  &c.,  Nov.  16;  of  Na- 
varre, Spaniards  and  French,  Nov.  25;  of  Mentz, 
allies  and  French,  Dec.  1.  The  French  take  Ber- 
gen-op-zoom.  Bois-le-duc,  Breda,  and  Brussels  taken. 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


209 


The  French  take  Charleroi,  June  26 ; Cleves  and 
Landrecy,  July  15.  St.  Lucia  taken  by  the  Eng- 
lish. The  French  take  Maestricht,  Nov.  4.  Na- 
mur, by  the  French,  July  13,  and  Treves.  Tele- 
graphs, invented  in  1687,  used  by  the  French  this 
year.  Lord  Howe  defeats  the  French  fleet,  and 
takes  6 ships  of  war,  June  1.  Craton  surrendered 
to  the  Prussians,  June  15.  Dieppe  burned  by  the 
English,  July  14.  Martinique  taken  from  the  French, 
March  23.  Earthquake  in  Turkey,  July  3,  which 
destroyed  three  towns  containing  10,000  inhabitants  ; 
also  near  Naples,  June  13,  which  almost  destroyed 
the  city  of  Torre-del-Greco.  About  3000  persons 
killed  at  Grenelle,  near  Paris,  by  an  explosion  of 
powder  mills,  Sept.  3. 

Whiskey  rebellion  in  Pennsylvania  on  account  of  a 
duty  on  distilled  spirits.  William  Bradford  succeeds 
Thomas  Jefferson  as  Secretary  of  State.  Gen.  An- 
thony Wayne  defeated  the  North  Western  Indians 
and  compels  them  to  sue  for  peace,  Aug.  20.  Treaty 
of  amity,  commerce,  and  navigation,  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  signed  in  London,  by 
John  Jay  and  the  Earl  of  Grenville.  Union  Col- 
lege at  Schenectady,  New  York,  and  Greenville  Col- 
lege, Tennessee,  founded.  John  Witherspoon,  presi- 
dent of  the  college  of  New  Jersey,  died  Nov.  15,  in 
his  73d  year.  Richard  Henry  Lee,  late  president 
of  Congress,  died  in  Westmoreland  county,  Va., 
June  22,  in  his  63d  year.  Lavoisier,  ob.  set.  51. 
Sir  W.  Jones,  ob.  set.  48.  M.  de  Condorcet,  ob.  set. 
51.  Ed.  Gibbon,  ob.  set.  57. 

1795.  A large  meteoric  stone  fell  near  Wood  Cottage  in 
Yorkshire,  weighing  55  pounds,  Dec.  13.  Louis 
XVII.  of  France  dies  in  prison,  June  8.  Telegraphs 
used  by  the  English,  June  26.  French  take  posses- 
sion of  Amsterdam,  Jan.  18.  Stadtholder  obliged  to 
retire  to  England.  Warren  Hastings,  after  a trial 
of  7 years,  acquitted,  April  23.  Battle  on  the  Waal, 
allies  and  French,  Jan.  11  ; of  Catalonia,  March  5 ; 
of  Neve  Munster,  March  5 and  18  ; of  Figuera, 
Spaniards  defeated,  April  5 ; of  Piedmont,  Pied- 
montese defeated,  April  12;  ofPontas  in  Catalonia, 
18* 


CHRONOLOGY 


210 

4.  E 

French  defeated,  June  14;  of  Piedmont,  French  de- 
feated, June  24,  27,  and  July  1 ; of  Pampeiuna, 
French  defeated,  July  9;  of  Bilboa,  Spaniards  de- 
feated, July  17 ; of  Quiberon,  emigrants  defeated, 
July  21 ; of  Urutia,  French  defeated,  July  30;  of 
Vittoria,  Spaniards  defeated,  Aug.  14 ; of  Piedmont, 
Austrians  defeated,  Aug.  20;  of  La  Pietra,  French 
defeated,  Aug.  31 ; on  the  Lahn,  French  defeated, 
Sept.  19  ; of  Manheim,  Austrians  defeated,  Sept.  23  ; 
French  defeated  at  Piedmont,  Oct.  1 ; on  the  Mayne, 
Oct.  11 ; at  Mentz,  Oct.  29 ; at  Worms,  Nov.  8 ; at 
Moselle,  Nov.  22 ; at  Deux  Ponts,  Nov.  28 ; and  at 
Alsentz,  Dec.  8.  Breda  taken  by  the  French.  Briel 
seized  by  them  in  January.  The  English  take  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  June.  The  French  take 
Dort,  Jan.  10,  and  Dusseldorf,  Sept.  6.  Frankendal 
retaken  from  the  French,  Nov.  12.  Luxembourg 
surrenders  to  the  French,  June  7.  Malacca  surren- 
ders to  the  English,  Aug.  17.  Manheim  retaken  by 
the  Austrians,  with  10,338  prisoners,  and  4 generals, 
Nov.  23.  Sir  E.  Pellew  takes  15  sail,  and  burns  7, 
out  of  a fleet  of  35  sail  of  transports,  March  8.  Ad- 
miral Hotham  defeats  the  French  fleet,  and  takes 
two  ships  of  war,  March  14.  The  Sceptre  man  of 
war  takes  11  Dutch  East  Indiamen,  June  19.  Lord 
Bridport  defeats  the  French  fleet,  June  25.  Trinco- 
malee  taken  by  the  English.  The  French  take 
Utrecht,  Jan.  18.  Poland  partitioned  between  Rus- 
sia, Austria,  and  Prussia,  Nov.  25.  Peace  between 
France  and  Prussia,  and  between  France  and  Spain. 
The  arsenal,  admiralty,  &c.,  with  nearly  50  streets 
in  Copenhagen,  destroyed  by  fire,  June  5.  A dread- 
ful eruption  of  Mt.  Vesuvius.  A comet  appeared. 
Oliver  Wolcott  succeeds  Col.  Hamilton  as  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  ; Timothy  Pickering  succeeds  Gen. 
Knox  as  Secretary  of  War.  Connecticut  establishes 
a school  fund  to  the  amount  of  $1,200,000  from  the 
avails  of  the  sale  of  the  “ Western  Reserve,55  Ohio. 
New  York  city  had  36,000  freeholders.  Richmond, 
Va.,  contained  4,000  inhabitants.  The  exports  of 
Baltimore  amount  to  $5,000,800.  The  first  printing 
press  in  Ohio  established  at  Cincinnati.  Bowdoin 


OF  THE  WORLD, 


211 


college  at  Brunswick,  Me.,  chartered.  Ezra  Stiles, 
president  of  Yale  college,  died  at  New  Haven,  Ct., 
aged  68  years. 

1796.  A meteoric  stone,  of  10  pounds  weight,  fell  in  Portu- 
gal, on  the  19th  Feb.  On  the  8th  March,  a meteoric 
stone  fell  in  Luzatia.  Bamberg  taken  by  the  French, 
Aug.  4.  The  Sardinians  defeated  by  the  French  at 
the  battle  of  Piedmont,  April  14.  Battle  of  Lodi, 
French  and  Austrians,  May  11;  of  Mantua,  May 
29;  of  Wetzlaer,  French  defeated,  June  4;  near 
Kirpen,  French  defeated,  June  20.  Austrians  de- 
feated by  Jourdan,  July  6 ; Archduke  repulsed  by 
the  French,  July  8.  Siege  of  Mantua  raised,  July 
23.  Austrians  defeated  by  Jourdan,  Aug.  11.  Jour- 
dan defeated  by  the  archduke  near  Nuremberg,  Aug 
18.  French  defeated  by  the  Austrians,  near  Neu 
wied  and  Amberg,  Aug.  24.  Jourdan  defeated  near 
Munich,  Sept.  11 ; near  Limberg,  Sept.  18;  and  at 
Ishy  on  the  Leek,  Sept.  19.  The  French  take  Ben- 
gau,  Aug.  17.  Bonaparte  seizes  Egypt,  July  1. 
Columbo  surrenders  to  the  English,  June  12.  Con- 
stance seized  by  the  French,  Aug.  2.  Demerara, 
&c.,  surrendered  to  the  English,  April  23  ; and  again 
Sept.  23,  1803.  The  French  take  Florence,  July; 
Franckfort,  July;  Goza,  June  11 ; and  Milan,  May 
18.  Minorca  surrenders  to  the  English,  Nov.  14. 
The  French  take  Munich,  Aug.  25;  and  Nurem- 
berg, July  9.  Sir  G.  K.  Elphinstone  takes  the  Dutch 
fleet  in  Saldana  Bay,  Aug.  19.  Peace  between  France 
and  Naples;  the  French  and  Sardinians;  England 
and  Spain.  Catharine  II.  of  Russia  dies,  Nov.  10. 
A comet  appeared.  Tennessee  admitted  to  the 
Union.  Washington  delivered  his  farewell  address 
to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  which  is  regarded 
as  a kind  of  national  legacy.  Albany,  N.  Y.,  con- 
tains 700  dwellings  and  6,021  inhabitants.  Lynn, 
Mass.,  exports  annually  300,000  pairs  of  shoes. 
Detroit  delivered  up  by  Great  Britain  to  the  United 
States.  Samuel  Huntington,  formerly  president  of 
Congress,  and  governor  of  Connecticut,  at  his  death, 
died  at  Norwich,  Ct.,  Jan.  8,  in  his  64th  year. 
David  Rittenhouse,  a distinguished  astronomer  and 


212  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London,  died  at 
Philadelphia,  June  26,  in  his  65th  year,  and  was 
buried  under  his  observatory.  Major  General  An- 
thony Wayne  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  died  at 
Presque  Isle  on  Lake  Erie,  in  his  52d  year.  Sam- 
uel Seabury,  bishop  of  Connecticut,  died  at  New 
London,  in  his  68th  year.  Amboyna  seized  by  the 
English,  Nov.  28.  Dr.  Thomas  Reid,  ob.  set.  87. 
Dr.  G.  Campbell,  ob.  Anton.  Ulloa,  ob.  set.  80. 
James  Macpherson,  ob.  set.  58. 

1797.  Bank  of  England  refuses  to  pay  in  specie,  Feb.  25. 
The  French  invade  Ireland.  Mutiny  on  board  the 
fleet  at  Portsmouth,  for  advance  of  wages,  &c.,  April 
18,  which  subsided,  May  10.  Mutiny  at  the  Nore, 
which  was  quelled,  June  10,  when  several  of  the 
mutineers  were  executed.  Revolution  in  Venice, 
May  17.  Battle  between  the  Austrians  and  Bona- 
parte, in  Italy,  Jan.  19  and  27,  when  the  Austrians 
were  defeated.  Bonaparte  defeats  the  archduke, 
April  1.  The  Austrians  again  defeated  on  the  up- 
per Rhine,  May  7,  when  the  French  take  Frankfort, 
Kehl,  &c.  The  French  land  a small  force  in  South 
Wales,  Feb.  22.  Ireland  put  under  martial  law, 
May  19.  The  Spanish  fleet  defeated  by  Sir  J.  Jar- 
vis, who  takes  four  ships  of  war,  Feb.  14.  Admiral 
Duncan  defeats  the  Dutch  fleet  off  Camperdown,  when 
two  admirals  and  fifteen  ships  of  war  were  captured 
or  destroyed,  Oct.  11.  Trinidad  and  four  ships  of 
the  line  taken  by  the  English.  Trieste  seized  by 
the  French,  but  retaken  by  the  Austrians,  April  14. 
Verona  taken  by  the  French,  April  28.  The  repub- 
lic of  Venice  abolished  by  the  French.  Treaty  of 
Campo  Formio,  between  the  French  and  Austrians, 
signed  Oct.  17.  Newspapers  first  published  at  Con- 
stantinople. An  earthquake  at  Sumatra,  by  which 
about  300  persons  perished,  Feb.  20.  The  country 
between  Santa  Fe  and  Panama,  and  the  cities  of 
Cuzco  and  Quito,  with  40,000  inhabitants,  destroyed 
by  an  earthquake  in  Feb.  Violent  shocks  were  also 
felt  in  the  West  Indies.  St.  Domingo  declares  itself 
independent  in  Jan.  The  French  seize  the  Tyrol. 
A comet  appears.  John  Adams  was  chosen  presi- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


213 


dent,  and  Thomas  Jefferson  vice-president  of  the 
United  States.  Charles  Cotesworth  Pinkney  not  re- 
ceived as  ambassador  to  France,  and  spoliations  on 
American  commerce  commenced  by  the  French. 
Exports  of  the  United  States  amount  to  $17,000,000. 
There  were  480  post-offices- — revenue  of  the  depart- 
ment, $46,000.  The  frigate  Constitution  launched 
at  Boston,  and  the  Constellation  at  Baltimore.  Yel- 
low fever  in  Philadelphia,  of  which  988  die.  W. 
Mason,  ob.,  ast.  72.  Dr.  James  Hutton,  ob. 

1798.  A meteoric  stone,  weighing  20  pounds,  fell  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Rhone,  on  the  12th  March.  Other 
meteqric  stones,  one  of  which  weighed  26  pounds,  fell 
in  India,  at  Krakhest,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river 
. Goomty,  on  the  19th  Dec.  Louis  XVIII.  retires  to 
Petersburg,  April  3.  The  pope  leaves  Rome,  which 
is  taken  possession  of  by  the  French,  Feb.  26.  Rome 
declared  itself  an  independent  republic.  The  pope 
dies  a captive,  Sept.  1799.  The  French  take  Alex- 
andria. Alexandria  surrenders  to  the  Austrians  and 
Russians,  July  24,  1799.  The  French  take  Malta, 
July  11.  The  Swiss  troops  defeated  by  the  French, 
and  their  independency  abolished,  Sept.  19.  Battle 
between  the  Irish  rebels  and  the  king’s  forces,  at 
Kilcullen,  May  22.  Battle  in  Connaught,  where  the 
French  aided  the  Irish  rebels,  and  were  all  taken 
prisoners,  Sept.  7.  The  English  destroy  the  basins, 
gates,  and  sluices  of  the  canal  at  Bruges,  May  19. 
The  French  seize  Genoa.  The  French  land  at  Kil- 
lala  bay,  Aug.  22,  1,500  men,  who  surrender  on 
Sept.  7.  Piedmont  surrendered  to  the  French,  Dec. 
6.  Naval  battle  of  Aboukir,  in  which  the  French 
fleet  of  17  sail  of  the  line  is  totally  defeated,  and  9 
of  them  taken,  by  Sir  H.  Nelson,  Aug.  1.  Sir  J.  B. 
Warren  defeats  a French  fleet  of  9 sail,  off  the  coast 
of  Ireland,  and  takes  5 of  them,  Oct.  12.  War  be- 
tween France,  Naples,  and  Sardinia,  Nov.  Earth- 
quake at  Sienna,  by  which  50  persons  perished,  May 
25.  The  Turks  declare  war  against  France.  Two 
comets  appear.  Regular  and  provisional  army  or- 
ganized, of  which  Washington  was  appointed  lieu- 
tenant-general and  commander-in-chief.  Transyl- 


CHRONOLOGY 


£14 

A.  1 

vania  university,  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  founded* 
The  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  in  18  vols.  4to.,  pub- 
lished by  Thomas  Dobson  of  Philadelphia ; the  first 
work  of  the  kind  issued  in  the  United  States.  Jere- 
my Belknap  died  in  Boston,  aged  54  years. 

The  small  standing  army  and  the  small  navy  which 
were  produced  during  the  administration  of  John 
Adams,  were  regarded  with  great  jealousy  ; the  army 
was  raised  when  the  relations  of  the  United  States 
with  France  threatened  collision  with  that  power, 
and  was  disbanded  when  those  relations  ceased  to  be 
threatening.  The  navy  also  was  regarded  by  many 
as  a useless  expense.  Jefferson's  system  of  gun- 
boats had  for  its  object  only  the  defence  of  harbors, 
and  not  at  all  the  protection  of  commerce  on  the  high 
seas ; and  the  navy  was  never  regarded  with  much 
favor,  until  they  had  fought  themselves  into  a high 
standing  by  their  signal  successes  in  the  last  war 
with  Great  Britain.  T.  Pennant,  ob.,  set.  72. 

1799.  Corsica  relinquished.  Ancona  surrenders  to  the  Im- 
perialists, Nov.  13.  Battle  between  the  French  and 
Neapolitans,  near  Naples,  Jan.  18.  The  Archduke 
Charles  defeats  the  French,  and  takes  2,000  prison- 
ers, March  14,  26,  near  Stockach.  The  French  de- 
feated near  Verona,  March  5,  25,  and  26 ; and  on 
the  30th,  and  April  5.  The  French  defeated  by  the 
Austrians,  April  19  and  20,  near  Cremona  ; by  the 
Russians,  near  Milan,  April  27,  11,000  killed  and 
taken  prisoners  ; near  Cassano,  April  27.  Bonaparte 
is  repulsed  at  Acre  by  the  Turks  and  Sir  Sidney 
Smith,  April  16 ; defeated  near  the  Adda,  March 
26,  31,  and  May  5 ; defeated  by  Suwarrow,  near 
Alessandria,  May  17 ; defeated  at  Zurich,  with  the 
loss  of  4,000  men,  June  4 ; by  Suwarrow,  June  19, 
when  the  French  lost  18,268  men.  Tippoo  Saib  de- 
feated and  slain  near  Periapatam,  in  the  East  Indies, 
by  the  English  forces,  May  4.  Massena  defeats  the 
Austrians  nearCoire,  May  7.  The  archduke  defeats 
Jourdan,  April  2.  Kray  defeats  the  French  under 
Scherer,  in  Italy,  April  18.  Suwarrow  defeats  the 
French  at  the  passage  of  the  Adda,  May  23.  Bo- 
naparte defeated  before  Acre,  by  Sir  Sidney  Smith, 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD, 


215 


May  27.  Cardinal  RufTo  defeats  the  French  at  Na- 
ples, June  5.  Suwarrow  defeats  Macdonald  near 
Parma,  with  the  loss  of  10,000  men  and  four  gener- 
als, July  12 ; Moreau,  July  18 ; and  Joubert,  who 
was  slain  at  Novi,  Aug.  15,  along  with  10,000  killed. 
The  French  defeated  near  Tranto,  June  19;  near 
Manheim,  Aug.  12.  The  Imperialists  defeated  near 
Zurich,  Sept.  21.  The  French  defeated  near  Men- 
dovi,  Nov.  6 ; near  Philipsburgh,  with  the  loss  of 
4,000  men,  Dec.  3 ; near  Coni,  which  surrenders  to 
the  Austrians,  Dec.  4.  The  Austrians  defeated  near 
Genoa,  Dec.  12.  Corfu  taken  by  the  Russians, 
March  3.  St.  Elmo  surrenders  to  the  Neapolitans, 
July  12.  Capua  surrenders  to  the  allies,  July  26. 
Mantua  retaken  by  the  Russians,  July  28.  The 
French  take  Naples,  June  21 ; which  is  retaken  by 
Cardinal  RufTo,  July  10.  The  Dutch  fleet  in  the 
Texel  surrenders  to  Admiral  Mitchell,  Aug.  29. 
Tortona  taken  by  the  French,  July  5,  and  surren- 
dered to  the  Imperialists,  Aug.  11.  Citadel  of  Turin 
surrenders,  May  17.  Urbino  surrendered  to  the  Aus- 
trians, July  10.  Holland  invaded  by  the  English, 
Aug.  27  ; abandoned  by  a convention,  Oct.  19.  Me- 
teoric stones  fell  on  the  5th  April,  near  Baton  Rouge, 
on  the  Mississippi.  Two  comets  appear.  The  small 
American  navy,  during  the  partial  collision  with 
France,  gave  presages  of  its  future  glory.  The 
American  frigate  Constellation  of  36  guns,  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Truxton,  captured  the  French 
frigate  Insurgent  of  44  guns.  The  whole  American 
navy  consisted  this  year  of  42  vessels,  carrying  950 
guns,  nor  did  public  opinion  favor  its  rapid  increase, 
though  it  had  shown  itself  a potent  instrument.  Gen. 
George  Washington  died  at  Mount  Vernon,  Va., 
Dec.  14,  after  a short  illness,  aged  68  years.  An 
oration  was  delivered  commemorative  of  the  evenl, 
before  Congress,  by  appointment,  by  Major-general 
Lee,  and  the  people  of  the  United  States  wore  crape 
on  the  left  arm  for  the  space  of  30  days,  and  a mar- 
ble monument  to  his  memory  was  ordered  to  be 
placed  in  the  capitol ; funeral  orations  and  cere- 
monies were  also  attended  at  all  the  principal  places 


216  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

through  the  country : the  nation  sincerely  mourned 
for  him  as  for  a father,  and  the  homage  of  the  world 
has  sanctioned  the  nation’s  tears.  America  had  not 
a second  Washington  to  lose.  His  body  still  mould- 
ers in  the  family  vault  at  Mount  Vernon,  but  he  has 
a memorial  more  durable  than  marble  in  the  hearts 
of  the  American  people.  Ch.  Borda,  ob.,  set.  64. 
L.  Galvani,  ob.,  set.  55.  Marmontel,  ob.  L.  Spal- 
lanzani, ob. 

1800.  Bonaparte’s  life  attempted  by  an  explosion  of  combus- 

tibles, Dec.  24.  Battle  of  Novi,  Austrians  and 
French,  Jan.  8 ; of  Savona,  in  Italy,  April  8 ; of 
Veragio,  April  10,  the  French  defeated;  of  Stock- 
ach,  May  1,  the  Austrians  defeated;  of  Moskirch, 
May  3,  ditto ; of  Marengo,  6,000  Austrians  killed, 
and  8,000  prisoners  taken,  June  21 ; of  Hohenlinden, 
Austrians  defeated,  Nov.  3 ; on  the  Mincio,  Dec.  25, 
Austrians  defeated.  Genoa  taken  by  the  English 
and  Austrians  in  May,  and  surrendered  to  the  French 
in  July.  The  French  seize  Tuscany.  Union  act 
for  Ireland  passed,  July  2.  Batavia  taken  by  the 
English,  Sept.  12.  Earthquake  at  Constantinople, 
Oct.  24.  Curacoa  taken  by  the  English,  Sept.  14. 
Inundation  at  St.  Domingo,  which  destroyed  1,400 
persons,  Oct.  Northern  confederacy  against  Eng- 
land. The  seat  of  government  of  the  United  States 
was  removed  to  Washington,  named  in  honor  of  the 
father  of  his  country,  and  previously  designated  and 
laid  out  as  the  seat  of  the  capitol  of  the  nation.  By 
the  census  of  the  United  States  taken  this  year,  there 
were  found  to  be  5,305,482  inhabitants.  Treaty 
with  France  concluded  by  commissioners.  The  pro- 
visional army  disbanded  by  resolution  of  Congress, 
May  13.  Middlebury  College,  Vermont,  incorpo- 
rated. Kine  pock  inoculation  introduced  into  Amer- 
ica, by  Dr.  Benjamin  Waterhouse,  of  Cambridge, 
Mass.  Edward  Rutledge,  governor  of  South  Caro- 
lina, died,  aged  about  50  years.  W.  Cowper,  ob., 
set.  69.  Dr.  Jos.  Black,  ob.,  set.  73. 

Nineteenth  Century. 

1801.  Jan.  1,  planet  Ceres  discovered  by  Piazzi.  Union  with 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


21? 


Ireland  carried  into  effect,  Jan.  1.  Aboukir  surren- 
ders to  the  English,  March  18.  French  defeated  by 
the  English  at  the  battle  of  Rhamonia,  in  Egypt, 
March  21.  Cairo  taken  by  the  English  and  Turks, 
June  21.  Madeira  surrenders  to  the  English,  July 
25.  Naples  occupied  by  the  French,  April  8.  Lord 
Nelson  takes  and  destroys  the  Danish  fleet  of  28  sail 
off  Copenhagen,  Sept.  2.  Defeat  of  the  French  fleet 
near  Cadiz,  in  which  two  745s  are  burnt  and  one 
taken,  July  16.  Peace  between  France  and  Austria, 
Feb.  9.  War  between  Portugal  and  Spain,  Feb.  28. 
Peace  between  France  and  Naples,  March  ; between 
Spain  and  Portugal,  June  10  ; between  France  and 
Portugal,  Sept.  29.  The  English  take  Alexandria, 
Aug.  22.  War  between  France  and  Turkey,  Oct. 
17.  The  Danish  island,  St.  Bartholomew,  taken  by 
the  English,  March  20.  The  first  imperial  parlia- 
ment in  England  held  in  January.  Northern  con- 
federacy against  England  dissolved  by  a British  fleet. 
The  Danish  island,  St.  Martins,  taken  by  the  Eng- 
lish, March  24.  Dolomieu,  oh.  A comet  appears. 
Thomas  Jefferson  chosen  President,  and  Aaron  Burr 
Vice-president  of  the  United  States.  A squadron 
sent  to  the  Mediterranean  to  protect  the  commerce 
of  the  United  States  against  the  states  of  Barbary. 
The  exports  of  the  United  States  were  $93,000,000  ; 
duties,  $20,000,000 ; revenue,  $12,945,000.  The 
Connecticut  academy  of  arts  and  sciences  incorpo- 
rated. University  of  Georgia  located  at  Athens. 
There  were  exported  from  S.  Carolina,  8,000,000 
pounds  of  cotton,  and  65,000  barrels  of  rice.  There 
were  200  newspapers  printed  in  the  United  States, 
17  of  which  were  daily,  and  146  weekly.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  president  of  Union  College,  died  in  his  57th 
year.  Benedict  Arnold,  the  daring  traitor,  died  in 
London.  While  in  the  American  service,  he  was  a 
brave  general,  and  his  march  through  the  wilderness 
by  the  way  of  Kennebec  river  to  Quebec,  was  a daring 
exploit.  Horse-flesh  and  dog-meat  were  dainties  on 
that  route.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  British,  after 
all  their  tempting  offers  to  the  American  officers  to 
go  over  to  the  royal  cause,  were  successful  but  in 
19 


218  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D, 

this  single  instance.  Said  one,  “ 1 am  not  worth 
purchasing,  but  such  as  I am  the  king  of  England 
is  not  rich  enough  to  buy  me.”  While  on  a ma- 
rauding expedition  in  Virginia,  having  taken  captive 
an  American  captain,  Arnold  asked  him  what  his 
countrymen  would  do  with  him  if  he  should  fall  into 
their  hands  ? The  officer  replied,  “ They  would  cut 
off  your  lame  leg,  and  bury  it  with  the  honors  of  war, 
and  hang  the  remainder  of  your  body  on  a gibbet.” 
Arnold  was  severely  wounded  in  the  leg  in  the  at- 
tack on  Quebec. 

1802.  Sir  R.  Abercromby  defeats  the  French  before  Alex- 

andria, March  21,  and  died  a few  days  after  of  his 
wounds.  Peace  between  England,  France,  Spain, 
and  Holland,  March  27.  The  planet  Pallas  discov- 
ered by  Olbers,  March  28.  Foundation  stone  of  the 
London  docks  laid,  June  26 . West  India  docks 

opened,  Aug.  21.  Crema,  in  Upper  Hungary,  nearly 
destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  June  12.  Stockholm 
nearly  destroyed  by  fire,  Nov.  15.  Stadtholder  of 
Holland  renounced  by  the  prince  of  Orange,  in  a 
treaty  with  France,  July.  Life-boats  invented  by 
Mr.  Greathead,  who  was  rewarded  by  parliament  in 
May.  A comet  appears.  Louisiana  ceded  by  Spain 
to  France.  Ohio  admitted  to  the  Union,  and  then 
was  estimated  to  contain  76,000  inhabitants.  Merino 
sheep,  100  in  number,  imported  from  Spain  by  Col. 
David  Humphreys.  Jefferson  College,  at  Conons- 
burg,  Pa.,  incorporated.  South  Carolina  College 
founded  at  Columbia.  Princeton  College,  in  New 
Jersey,  burned.  Washington  city  contained  4,350 
inhabitants.  John  Ewing,  provost  of  the  university 
of  Pennsylvania,  died  in  his  71st  year.  Dr.  Dar- 
win, ob. 

1803.  About  3,000  meteoric  stones,  the  largest  of  which 

weighed  17  pounds,  fell  at  Aigle,  in  France,  on  the 
26th  of  April.  On  the  5th  of  October,  another 
shower  of  stones  fell  at  Avignon.  On  the  13th  De- 
cember another  shower  of  stones  fell  at  Messing,  in 
Bohemia.  All  the  British  in  France  detained  pris- 
oners of  war,  in  May.  Bonaparte  makes  offers  to 
Louis  XVIII.,  to  induce  him  to  relinquish  the  crown 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


219 


in  his  favor,  Feb.  26.  War  between  England  and 
France.  Scindiah  defeated  by  the  English,  Aug. 
11.  Demerara  surrenders  to  the  English,  Sept.  23. 
The  French  take  Lubec,  June.  The  English  take 
Tobago,  June  30.  Hanover  occupied  by  the  French, 
June  14.  A brilliant  meteor,  which  rendered  legi- 
ble the  writing  on  the  signs  at  London,  appeared  at 
half-past  eight  in  the  evening,  Nov.  18.  Louisiana 
purchased  of  the  French  by  the  United  States,  for 
$15,000,000.  Commodore  Preble,  with  an  American 
fleet,  bombarded  Tripoli.  The  frigate  Philadelphia, 
Capt.  Bainbridge,  struck  on  a rock  in  the  harbor  of 
Tripoli,  and  was  captured,  with  300  prisoners.  Ba- 
con Academy,  at  Colchester,  Conn.,  founded  by  a 
donation  of  $35,000,  and  named  from  its  founder. 
Samuel  Adams  died  at  Boston,  in  his  82d  year. 
Samuel  Hopkins  died  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  aged  83 
years.  David  Tappan  died  at  Cambridge,  aged  51 
years.  Dr.  Beattie,  ob.,  set.  68. 

1804.  A large  meteoric  stone  fell  at  Possil,  near  Glasgow, 
on  the  5th  April.  Another  meteoric  stone  fell  at  Apt, 
in  the  department  of  Yaucluse,  on  the  6th  October. 
France  formed  into  an  empire,  May  5,  and  Napoleon 
Bonaparte  crowned  emperor,  Dec.  2.  A fleet  of  In- 
diamen,  under  Captain  Dance,  drives  off  a squadron 
of  French  ships  of  the  line,  Feb.  15.  Goree  taken 
by  the  English,  March  9.  Earthquake  in  Holland, 
which  makes  the  chandeliers  in  Maaslin  church  vi- 
brate two  or  three  feet,  January.  The  emperor  of 
Germany  assumes  the  title  of  emperor  of  Austria, 
Aug.  11.  War  between  England  and  Spain,  Dec. 
14.  The  planet  Juno  discovered  by  Mr.  Harding, 
Sept.  1.  A comet  appears.  Lieut.  Stephen  Deca- 
tur, of  the  United  States  navy,  recaptures  and  de- 
stroys the  frigate  Philadelphia,  in  the  harbor  of 
Tripoli,  Feb.  1.  Commodore  Preble  bombards  Tri- 
poli. Alexander  Hamilton  killed  in  a duel  by  Aaron 
Burr,  to  the  great  regret  of  the  American  people, 
July.  The  New  York  Historical  Society  founded. 
Philip  Schuyler  died  at  Albany,  in  his  73d  year. 
Joseph  Willard,  president  of  Harvard  College,  died 


CHRONOLOGY 


220 

A.  D. 

at  Cambridge,  in  his  66th  year.  Dr.  Priestley,  ob.? 
set.  71. 

1805.  Letters  of  marque  issued  against  Spain,  Jan.  11.  The 
London  wet  docks  opened,  Jan.  31.  A French 
squadron  from  Rochefort  levied  contributions  on  some 
of  the  West  India  islands,  Feb.  21.  Bonaparte  as- 
sumes the  title  of  king  of  Italy,  March  18.  Holkar 
defeated  by  the  English  at  the  battle  of  Bhurtpore, 
April  2.  Schimmelpenninck  made  grand  pensionary 
of  the  Dutch  government,  May  1.  The  Ligurian 
republic  united  with  France,  May  25.  Lord  Mel- 
ville impeached,  June  26.  Meteoric  stones  fell  in 
one  of  the  squares  of  Constantinople,  in  the  month  of 
June.  Treaty  between  France  and  Naples,  ratified 
at  Portici,  Oct.  8.  Marquis  Cornwallis  dies  at 
Ghauzepore,  Oct.  5,  set.  67.  Battle  of  Guntzburg, 
in  which  the  French  defeat  the  Austrians,  Oct.  2. 
Battle  of  Ulm,  in  which  the  French  take  the  Aus- 
trians prisoners,  Oct.  19.  Ulm  surrendered  by  Gen- 
eral Mack,  with  30,000  men.  The  French  defeat 
the  Austrians  at  Moelk,  Nov.  10 ; at  Loeben,  Nov. 
13  ; and  at  Diernstein,  Nov.  14.  The  French  take 
Vienna,  Nov.  13.  The  imperial  palace  of  Schoen- 
brunn  taken  by  the  French,  Nov.  14.  Presburg 
taken  by  the  French,  Nov.  15.  Battle  of  Tinter- 
dorff,  in  which  the  French  beat  the  Austrians  and 
Russians,  Nov.  16.  Battle  of  Austerlitz,  in  which 
the  Austrians  and  Russians  are  completely  defeated 
by  the  French,  Dec.  2.  Sir  Robert  Calder  captures 
two  sail  of  Spanish  ships,  after  an  engagement  of 
four  hours  with  the  combined  fleet  off  Ferrol.  Bat- 
tle of  Trafalgar,  in  which  Lord  Nelson  was  killed, 
after  having  nearly  taken  and  destroyed  the  com- 
bined fleets  of  France  and  Spain,  Oct.  21.  Sir  R. 
Strachan  takes  four  French  ships  of  the  line  off  Cape 
Ortegal,  Nov.  4.  Treaty  of  Presburg,  between 
France  and  Austria,  Dec.  27.  Treaty  concluded 
with  Scindiah  by  General  Lake,  Nov.  22.  Peace 
with  Holkar,  Dec.  24.  An  earthquake  at  Eisen- 
hartz,  in  Styria,  July  24.  An  earthquake  at  Naples 
and  its  vicinity,  in  which  20,000  lives  are  lost,  July 
26.  A shock  of  an  earthquake  felt  in  many  parts 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


221 


of  Rome,  July  30.  Two  comets  appear.  Thomas 
Jefferson  chosen  a second  time  president  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  George  Clinton  chosen  vice-president. 
Gen.  William  Eaton  concluded  a favorable  treaty 
with  the  bashaw  of  Tunis,  more  honorable  to  the 
United  States  than  any  Christian  nation  had  obtained 
before  for  a hundred  years.  Botanic  gardens  opened 
at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  at  New  York,  and  at  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.  William  Moultrie  died  at  Charleston,  S. 
C.,  in  his  75th  year. 

1806.  Hanover  occupied  by  the  Prussians.  Admiral  Duck- 
worth took  and  destroyed  five  French  ships  of  the 
line,  in  the  bay  of  St.  Domingo.  Public  funeral  of 
the  Right  Hon.  William  Pitt,  (who  died  Jan.  23,) 
Feb.  22.  Two  meteoric  stones  fell  at  Etienne  and 
Valence,  on  the  15th  of  March.  French  squadron, 
under  Linois,  captured  on  its  return  from  India,  by 
Sir  J.  B.  Warren,  March  13.  Prince  of  Orange 
dies,  April  22.  Trial  of  Lord  Melville  commences 
in  Westminster  flail,  April  29.  The  island  of  Capri 
taken  by  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  April  22.  A meteoric 
stone  falls  at  Basingstoke,  Hants,  on  the  17th  May. 
Louis  Bonaparte  proclaimed  king  of  Holland,  at  St. 
Cloud,  Paris,  June  5.  A resolution  for  the  abolition 
of  the  slave  trade  adopted,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Fox, 
in  the  house  of  commons,  June  10.  A similar  reso- 
lution adopted,  on  the  motion  of  Lord  Grenville,  in 
the  house  of  lords,  June  24.  Lord  Melville  acquit- 
ted, June  12.  The  brilliant  victory  of  Maida  gained 
by  Sir  John  Stuart,  over  Gen.  Regnier.  Confedera 
tion  of  the  Rhine  established,  July  12.  Gaeta  taken 
by  the  French,  July  13.  Peace  between  France 
and  Russia,  signed  at  Paris,  by  M.  d’Oubril,  the  Rus- 
sian ambassador,  but  not  ratified  by  the  emperor  of 
Russia,  Aug.  13.  Surrender  of  Buenos  Ayres,  &c., 
to  Major-general  Beresford  and  Sir  Home  Popham, 
July  28.  Francis  II.  resigns  the  office  of  emperor 
of  Germany,  Aug.  7.  A manifesto  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  France,  published  by  the  emperor  of 
Russia,  Aug.  30.  A tremendous  hurricane  at  Do- 
minico  and  Martinico,  Sept.  9.  Mr.  Fox  died,  Sept. 
13.  Sir  Samuel  Hood,  with  the  Centaur  and  Mon- 
19* 


222  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

arch,  captures  four  French  frigates.  Hostilities  be- 
tween the  French  and  Prussians  begin,  by  a skir- 
mish near  the  bridge  of  Saalfeld,  where  Prince  Fer- 
dinand Louis,  of  Prussia,  was  slain,  Oct.  10.  Battle 
of  Jena,  between  the  French  and  Prussians,  in  which 
the  latter  were  defeated  with  immense  loss,  Oct.  14. 
Surrender  of  the  corps  of  the  Prussian  army,  under 
Prince  Hohenloe,  to  the  French,  under  Murat,  Oct. 
21 ; the  French  take  possession  of  Stettin  and  Cus- 
trin.  A proclamation  of  Bonaparte,  offering  inde- 
pendence to  the  Poles,  Nov.  3.  The  electors  of  Sax- 
ony and  Hesse  accede  to  the  confederation  of  the 
Rhine,  Nov.  6.  The  Prussian  corps,  under  Blucher, 
capitulate  to  the  French,  after  a brave  and  skilful 
retreat,  Nov.  7.  The  French  take  Magdeburg,  Nov. 
7.  The  duke  of  Brunswick  dies  near  Altona,  of  a 
wound  received  in  the  battle  of  Jena,  Nov.  9.  The 
French  cross  the  Vistula,  and  occupy  Prague,  Dec. 
5.  Surrender  of  Thorn,  Graudentz,  Warsaw,  &c. 
Poland  proclaimed  independent.  War  between  Rus- 
sia and  Turkey.  Battle  of  Pultusk,  Oct.  26.  A 
comet  appears.  Lewis  and  Clarke,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  American  government,  explore  the  Missouri 
and  Columbia  rivers  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  Washing- 
ton College,  Pa.,  and  Cumberland  College,  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  founded.  Lehigh  coal  discovered,  and  first 
used.  Total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  visible  in  the  United 
States,  June  16.  Treaty  of  amity  and  commerce 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  signed 
in  London,  by  Monroe  and  Pinkney,  not  ratified  by 
the  American  government.  Academy  of  fine  arts  in 
Pennsylvania,  instituted.  Robert  Morris,  the  great 
revolutionary  financier,  died  at  Philadelphia,  in  his 
72d  year.  Horatio  Gates,  late  major-general  in  the 
U.  S.  army,  died  at  New  York,  April  10,  in  his  78th 
year.  Henry  Knox,  late  major-general  of  the  U.  S. 
army,  and  afterward  secretary  of  war,  died  at  Thom- 
astown,  Me.,  Oct.  25,  aged  56  years. 

1807.  Monte  Video  taken  by  the  British,  Feb.  9.  Battle  of 
Eylau,  between  the  French  and  Russians,  Feb.  17. 
Unsuccessful  expedition  tc  the  Dardanelles,  Feb.  19. 
A meteoric  stone,  of  160  pounds  weight,  fell  in  the 


OF  TIIE  WORLD. 


223 


circle  of  Ichnow,  in  the  government  of  Smolensko, 
on  the  13th  March.  The  planet  Vesta  was  discov- 
ered by  Dr.  Olbers,  on  the  29th  March.  The  British 
army  repulsed  at  Rosetta,  April  4 and  24.  The 
Russians  defeated  by  the  French  at  the  battle  of 
Friedland,  June  14.  Peace  of  Tilsit,  between 
France  and  Russia,  signed  June  25.  Heligoland 
taken  by  the  British,  July  4.  The  Spaniards  re- 
pulse the  British  troops  under  Gen.  Whitelocke,  at 
Buenos  Ayres,  July  6.  Bombardment  of  Copenha- 
gen, and  the  surrender  of  the  Danish  fleet,  Sept.  7. 
The  prince  regent  of  Portugal,  accompanied  by  the 
royal  family,  abandons  his  kingdom  in  consequence 
of  the  advance  of  the  French  under  Junot,  and  sails 
for  the  Brazils,  Nov.  29.  Several  meteoric  stones, 
weighing  from  25  and  30,  to  200  pounds,  fell  in  the 
state  of  Connecticut,  on  the  14th  Dec.  Attack  on 
the  American  frigate  Chesapeake,  by  the  British 
ship  of  war  Leopard,  within  the  waters  of  the  United 
States,  caused  great  excitement,  and  satisfaction  was 
demanded  of  the  British  government.  British  ves- 
sels were  interdicted  in  the  American  waters-  Aaron 
Burr  was  arrested  for  treason,  tried,  and  acquitted. 
British  orders  in  council  issued,  Nov.  11.  The  Mi- 
lan decree  issued  by  Bonaparte,  Dec.  17.  A general 
embargo  laid  by  the  American  government,  Dec.  22. 
First  successful  steamboat  on  Hudson  river.  A. 
comet  appeared  from  Sept.  25,  to  Jan.  30,  1808. 
Oliver  Ellsworth  died,  Nov.  26,  in  his  63d  year. 
Uriah  Tracy  died  at  Washington,  July  19,  in  his 
54th  year.  Commodore  Edward  Preble  died,  Aug- 
25,  in  his  46th  year. 

1808.  The  French  obtain  possession  of  Rome,  Feb.  2.  War 
between  Russia  and  Sweden  begins,  Feb.  24.  Chris- 
tian VII.  of  Denmark,  dies,  March  13,  and  is  sue 
ceeded  by  his  son  Frederick.  King  Charles  abdi 
cates  the  Spanish  throne  in  favor  of  his  son  Ferdi- 
nand VIL,  March  19.  The  French  army,  com- 
manded by  Murat,  enters  Madrid,  March  23.  The 
royal  family  of  Spain  arrive  at  Bayonne,  April  24. 
The  king  of  Spain  abdicates  his  crown  in  favor  of 
Bonaparte,  May  5.  Ferdinand  VII.  signs  a renun- 


CHRONOLOGY 


224 

A.  E 

ciation  of  the  Spanish  crown,  May  12.  The  royal 
family  of  Spain  sent  from  Bayonne  into  the  interior 
of  France,  May  13.  Solano,  the  governor  of  Cadiz, 
murdered  by  the  populace,  May  20.  Meteoric  stones, 
weighing  4 and  5 pounds,  fell  near  Stannern,  a pos-t 
station  in  Moravia,  on  the  22d  May.  Two  Spanish 
deputies  arrive  in  England  to  supplicate  aid  to  the 
Spanish  patriots,  June  9.  The  French  fleet  at  Cadiz 
surrenders  to  the  Spaniards,  June  14.  Siege  of  Sa- 
ragossa, June  14.  Joseph  Bonaparte  proclaimed  king 
of  Spain,  at  Bayonne,  June  16.  A British  army  of 
12,000  men,  under  Sir  A.  Wellesley,  sails  for  Por- 
tugal from  Cork,  July  12.  The  French  defeat  the 
Spaniards  at  Rio  Seco,  July  14.  The  French  army, 
under  General  Dupont,  surrenders  to  the  Spaniards, 
July  20th.  Revolution  in  Turkey,  in  which  Mus- 
tapha  is  defeated,  July  28th.  British  army  arrives 
in  Spain,  Aug.  1,  and  defeats  the  French  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Roleia,  Aug.  17 ; and  at  the  battle  of  Vimiera, 
Aug.  21*  Ferdinand  VII.  proclaimed  king  of  Spain, 
at  Madrid,  Aug.  24.  Convention  of  Cintra,  which 
excites  the  greatest  indignation  in  England,  Aug.  30. 
A French  army,  under  Marshal  Ney,  enters  Spain, 
Sept.  3*  A meteoric  stone  fell  at  Lissa,  in  Bohemia, 
on  the  3d  Sept.  A Spanish  army  of  10,000  men, 
under  the  Marquis  de  Romana,  escapes  from  Nyborg, 
in  Denmark,  Aug.  11,  and  lands  at  Corunna,  Sept. 
30.  Bonaparte  meets  the  emperor  of  Russia  at  Er- 
furth,  Sept.  27.  The  Spanish  armies,  under  Blake 
andCastanos,  defeated  by  the  French,  Nov.  10  and  23. 
Madrid  occupied  by  the  French,  Dec.  4.  Andover 
Theological  Seminary  opened.  The  importation  of 
slaves  from  Africa,  ceased  by  law,  Jan.  1.  Bayonne 
decree,  April  17,  declaring  all  American  vessels  lia- 
ble to  seizure.  The  translation  of  the  Septuagint 
into  English,  by  Charles  Thompson,  late  secretary 
of  Congress,  published.  Fisher  Ames  died  at  Ded- 
ham, Mass.,  July  4,  aged  50  years.  John  Dickinson 
died  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  at  an  advanced  age. 

180i  Peace  between  Britain  and  Turkey,  Jan.  5.  Battle  of 
Corunna,  at  which  the  French  were  defeated,  and 
Sir  John  Moore  killed,  Jan,  16.  Duke  of  York  ac« 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


225 


cused  of  malversation,  Feb.  1,  and  resigns  the  of- 
fice of  commander-in-chief,  March  10.  Drury-lane 
theatre  burnt,  Feb.  24.  Surrender  of  Saragossa, 
March  5.  Revolution  in  Sweden,  and  Gustavus  IV. 
deposed,  March  13.  Austria  declares  war  upon 
France,  April  6.  Lord  Cochrane  destroys  the 
French  fleet  in  Basque  Roads,  April  12.  The 
French  defeat  the  Austrians  in  the  battles  of  Abens- 
berg,  Ratisbon,  and  Eckmuhl,  April  20-23.  Sir  A. 
Wellesley  defeats  the  French  at  Oporto,  May  11. 
The  French  obtain  possession  of  Vienna,  May  13. 
Battle  of  Aspern,  or  Esling,  between  the  French  and 
Austrians,  in  which  the  Austrians  had  20,602  killed 
and  wounded,  May  21.  Schill,  the  celebrated  Prus- 
sian officer,  killed  in  Stralsund,  May  31.  The  Aus- 
trians completely  defeated  by  the  French  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Wagram,  July  5,  6.  Suspension  of  hostilities 
between  France  and  Austria,  July  12.  Surrender 
of  Senegal  to  the  British,  July  20.  Battle  of  Tala- 
vera  between  the  British  and  French,  July  27.  The 
British  troops,  after  landing  in  Walcheren,  July  30, 
take  Middleburg,  July  31,  and  Flushing,  Aug.  15. 
Peace  between  Russia  and  Sweden  signed,  Sept.  17. 
Peace  between  France  and  Austria  ratified,  Oct.  15. 
The  50th  anniversary  of  the  king’s  accession  cele- 
brated in  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  Oct.  25.  Lord 
Collingwood  destroys  three  French  ships  of  the  line 
bound  from  Toulon  to  Barcelona,  off  Cape  St.  Sebas- 
tian, Oct.  25.  Bonaparte  divorces  his  wife,  the  Em- 
press Josephine,  Dec.  16.  James  Madison  elected 
President,  and  George  Clinton,  Vice-president  of  the 
United  States.  The  embargo  was  repealed,  and  fol- 
lowed by  a non-intercourse  with  Great  Britain.  Di- 
plomatic intercourse  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  ceased.  Miami  University,  Ohio, 
founded,  by  a grant  of  a township  of  land  for  its 
support. 

1810.  Bonaparte  relaxes  the  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees,  Jan. 
4.  A shower  of  meteoric  stones  fell  in  Caswell  co., 
North  Carolina,  Jan.  30.  An  earthquake  at  Malta, 
Feb.  16.  Amboyna  and  its  dependencies  surrender 
to  the  British,  Feb.  17.  Guadaloupe  taken  by  the 


22 6 CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

British,  March  5.  Lord  Collingwood  dies,  March  7. 
Bonaparte  marries  the  Princess  Maria  Louisa,  daugh- 
ter of  the  emperor  of  Austria,  April  1.  Great  riots 
in  London,  on  the  committal  of  Sir  F.  Burdett  to  the 
Tower,  April  9.  Crown  prince  of  Sweden  dies, 
April  29.  American  non-intercourse  act  repealed, 
May  1.  Mr.  Windham  dies,  June  4.  Riot  in  Stock- 
holm, at  the  funeral  of  the  crown  prince,  June  20. 
Louis  Bonaparte  abdicates  the  throne  of  Holland, 
July  1.  The  Isle  of  Bourbon  surrenders  to  the 
British,  July  8.  Holland  annexed  to  the  French 
empire,  July  9.  Ciudad  Rodrigo  taken  by  the 
French,  July  10.  A meteoric  stone,  weighing  7f 
pounds,  fell  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  Ireland, 
Aug.  10.  An  earthquake  felt  at  St.  Michael’s,  one 
of  the  Azores,  Aug.  12.  Bernadotte  chosen  crown 
prince  of  Sweden,  Aug.  21.  A small  comet  discov- 
ered by  M.  Pons,  22d  Aug.  Lucien  Bonaparte  and 
his  family  taken  by  the  Pomona  frigate,  Aug.  23. 
Almeyda  surrenders  to  the  French,  Aug.  28.  A 
great  eruption  of  Mount  Vesuvius,  Sept.  10.  Bona- 
parte issues  a decree  to  burn  all  British  merchandise, 
Oct.  19.  Princess  Amelia  dies,  Nov.  2.  Gustavus 
Adolphus,  the  late  king  of  Sweden,  arrives  at  Yar- 
mouth, Nov.  10.  Three  meteoric  stones  fell  in  the 
department  of  the  Loiret,  Nov.  23.  Rambouillet 
decree  of  Napoleon  orders  all  American  vessels  in 
the  ports  of  France  to  be  seized.  The  French  decrees 
declared  repealed,  and  intercourse  with  France  re- 
newed. The  population,  by  the  third  census,  was 
7,239,903.  Kentucky  contained  406,511  inhabit- 
ants; Pittsburg,  Pa.,  had  4,740;  Philadelphia, 
90,000.  Benjamin  Lincoln,  major-general  in  the 
revolutionary  army,  died.  Charles  Brockden  Brown, 
a distinguished  novelist,  died.  Henry  Cavendish,  ob. 
set.  78. 

1811.  Tortosa  surrenders  to  the  French,  Jan.  1.  Prince  of 
Wales  appointed  regent,  Feb.  4.  A meteoric  stone, 
of  15  pounds,  fell  in  the  village  of  Konleghowsk,  in 
the  government  of  TschernigofF,  in  Russia,  on  the 
1st  March.  Battle  of  Barrosa,  in  which  the  French 
are  defeated  by  the  British  under  General  Graham, 


A.  B. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


227 


March  5.  Anholt  defended  by  a handful  of  British 
sailors  against  the  Danish  flotilla,  of  18  gunboats,  and 
4,000  men.  Badajos  surrenders  to  the  French,  March 
10.  A small  comet  discovered  by  Flauguergues, 
25th  March.  The  French  defeated  by  Lord  Wel- 
lington, in  the  battle  of  Fuerates  de  Honores,  May  5th. 
General  Beresford  defeats  the  French  under  Soult, 
in  the  battle  of  Albuera,  May  16th.  Action  between 
the  American  frigate  the  President,  of  44  guns,  com- 
manded by  Commodore  Rodgers,  and  the  British  vessel 
the  Little  Belt,  of  18  guns,  May  16th.  Siege  of 
Badajos  raised,  June  11th.  Marshal  Suchet  takes 
Tarragona  by  assault,  June  29th,  and  makes  himself 
master  of  Montserrat,  July  24th.  The  settlement  of 
Batavia,  the  last  colony  of  France,  surrenders  to  the 
British  under  Sir  Samuel  Auchmuty,  Sept.  17th. 
The  Boulogne  flotilla  defeated  by  the  Naiad  frigate 
in  the  presence  of  Bonaparte,  Sept.  22d.  General 
Blake  defeated  by  the  French  under  Suchet,  Oct. 
25.  In  consequence  of  this  victory  Murviedro  sur- 
renders to  the  French,  Oct.  27th.  General  Hill  sur- 
prises and  routs  the  division  of  General  Girard,  Oct. 
28th.  A comet  appears,  Dec.  23d.  The  St.  George 
of  98  guns,  and  the  Defence  of  74  guns,  stranded  on 
the  coast  of  Jutland,  and  the  whole  of  the  crews, 
amounting  to  2,400  men,  perished,  Oct.  24.  The 
Hero  of  74  guns,  stranded  on  a sand  bank  off  the 
Texel,  and  the  whole  of  her  crew  lost,  Dec.  25. 
General  Blake  defeated  by  the  French  near  Valen- 
cia, Dec.  26th.  The  British  made  reparation  for  the 
attack  upon  the  Chesapeake.  Richmond  theatre 
burned,  in  which,  out  of  600  present,  about  70  per- 
sons perished,  and  among  them  George  W.  Smith, 
the  governor  of  Virginia.  The  frigate  President, 
Capt.  Rodgers,  attacked  by  the  Little  Belt,  Capt.  Bing- 
ham, off  Cape  Charles,  May  16  ; the  Little  Belt  fires 
first,  and  has  11  killed  and  21  wounded  ; only  one 
man  on  board  of  the  President  was  wounded.  Gen. 
W.  H.  Harrison  fought  with  the  Indians  the  bloody 
battle  of  Tippecanoe,  on  the  Wabash  river,  in  which 
the  Americans  had  62  killed  and  126  wounded,  and 
the  Indians  were  defeated  with  still  greater  loss. 


CHRONOLOGY 


228 

A.  I 

John  Henry  discloses  a plot  of  the  governor  of  Can- 
ada, Sir  James  Craig,  to  detach  the  New  England 
states  from  the  confederacy,  which  was  unsuccessful ; 
for  the  disclosure  he  received  of  the  government  of 
the  United  States  $50,000.  John  Rodgers  died 
at  New  York,  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
63d  of  his  ministry. 

1812.  The  French  defeated  at  Tariffa,  by  Colonel  Skerret, 
Jan.  1st.  Lord  Wellington  takes  Ciudad  Rodrigo  by 
storm,  Jan.  19th.  Valencia  surrenders  to  the  French,, 
along  with  the  army  under  General  Blake,  Feb.  6th „ 
A dreadful  earthquake  in  the  Caraccas,  March  26th. 
Bonaparte  makes  proposals  for  peace,  which  are  re- 
jected, April  17th.  Badajos  taken  by  Lord  Welling- 
ton, April  27th.  Bonaparte  sets  out  from  Paris,  to 
take  the  command  of  the  army  against  Russia,  May 
9th.  Mr.  Perceval  shot  in  the  lobby  of  the  house  of 
commons,  May  11th.  U.  States  declare  war  against 
Britain,  June  19th.  Joseph  Bonaparte  evacuates 
Madrid,  June  28th.  Lord  Wellington  defeats  the 
French  under  Marmont,  near  Salamanca.  Prelimi- 
naries of  peace  signed  between  Britain,  Russia,  and 
Sweden.  Orders  in  council  revoked,  June  23d. 
Revolution  in  Sicily,  July  20th.  Lord  Wellington 
enters  Madrid,  Aug.  12.  Marshal  Victor  besieges 
Riga,  Aug.  13th.  General  Hull  and  the  American 
army  taken  prisoners  by  General  Brock,  Aug.  17. 
Battle  of  Smolensko,  between  the  French  and  Rus- 
sians, Aug.  16.  The  British  frigate  Guerriere  cap- 
tured by  the  United  States  frigate  Constitution,  Aug. 
19th.  The  Constitution,  of  44  guns,  was  commanded 
by  Capt.  Hull,  and  the  Guerriere,  of  38  guns,  was 
commanded  by  Capt.  Dacres.  The  action  lasted  25 
minutes;  the  British  had  15  killed  and  64  wounded, 
the  Americans  had  7 killed  and  7 wounded.  Battle 
of  Mojaisk,  in  which  the  victory  is  claimed  both  by 
the  French  and  Russians,  Sept.  7.  Soult  raises 
the  siege  of  Cadiz,  Aug.  25th.  A great  and  san- 
guinary battle  fought  at  Borrodino,  between  the 
French  and  Russians,  in  which  the  victory  is  claim- 
ed by  both  sides,  Sept.  7.  The  Russians  burn  Mos- 
cow, which  the  French  enter,  Sept.  14.  Lord  Wei- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


229 


lington  advances  to  Burgos,  Sept.  21.  The  French 
evacuate  Moscow,  and  begin  a disastrous  retreat, 
Oct.  19th.  The  British  sloop  of  war  Frolic,  cap- 
tured by  the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  Oct. 
18th.  Lord  Wellington  raises  the  siege  of  Burgos, 
Oct.  20th.  Moscow  re-occupied  by  the  Russians, 
Oct.  22d.  The  British  frigate  Macedonian,  captured 
by  the  United  States  frigate  United  States,  Oct.  25. 
The  United  States,  of  44  guns,  was  commanded  by 
Capt.  Stephen  Decatur,  and  the  Macedonian,  of  38 
guns,  was  commanded  by  Capt.  John  S.  Carden. 
The  action  lasted  1 hour  and  30  minutes  ; the  Mace- 
donian had  36  killed  and  68  wounded,  and  the  Uni- 
ted States  had  5 killed  and  7 wounded.  Bonaparte, 
after  leaving  his  army  at  Smorgony,  on  the  25th 
Nov.,  arrives  in  Paris  on  the  18th  Dec.  The  French 
defeated  at  the  passage  of  the  Beresina,  Nov.  28th. 
Wilna  taken  by  the  Russians,  Dec.  10.  The  British 
frigate  Java  captured  by  the  United  States  frigate 
Constitution,  Dec.  29th.  The  Constitution,  of  44 
guns,  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Bainbridge,  and  the 
Java,  commanded  by  Capt.  Lambert,  had  38  guns. 
The  action  lasted  55  minutes ; the  Java  had  69  kill- 
ed and  101  wounded,  and  the  Constitution  had  9 
killed  and  25  wounded.  Battle  of  Queenston,  in 
which  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  of  the  New  York  militia 
attacked  the  British,  commanded  by  Gen.  Brock,  who 
was  killed;  and  Van  Rensselaer,  after  an  obstinate 
battle,  in  which  he  had  60  killed  and  100  wounded, 
was  taken  prisoner,  Oct.  13.  30,000  Prussians,  un- 

der General  York,  join  the  Russian  army,  Dec.  30. 
The  whole  navy  of  the  United  States  at  this  time  con- 
sisted of  10  frigates,  5 of  which  were  laid  up  in  ordi- 
nary, 10  sloops  of  war  and  smaller  vessels,  and  165 
gunboats,  only  60  of  which  were  in  commission. 
Hamilton  College  founded.  The  theological  semi,, 
nary  at  Princeton  founded.  George  Clinton,  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States,  died  at  Washington. 
Roger  Griswold,  governor  of  Connecticut,  died  at  Nor- 
wich, aged  50  years. 

1813.  The  Conservative  Senate  of  France  agree  to  place 
350,000  men  at  the  disposal  of  the  minister  of  war, 
20 


CHRONOLOGY 


Jan.  11.  Battle  of  Frenchtown,  on  the  river  Raisin, 
in  which  Gen.  Winchester,  with  35  officers  and  487 
non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  surrendered 
prisoners  to  the  British  and  Indians  under  Col.  Proc- 
tor, Jan.  11.  Chesapeake  declared  in  a state  of 
blockade,  Feb.  5.  Ogdensburg  taken  by  the  British 
and  the  public  stores  removed  or  destroyed,  Feb.  22. 
The  British  brig  Peacock,  of  18  guns,  Capt.  Peake, 
captured  by  the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Hornet, 
of  16  guns,  Capt.  Lawrence,  after  an  action  of  15 
minutes.  The  Hornet  had  1 killed,  3 drowned  with 
the  prize.  The  Peacock  had  112  prisoners  taken 
from  the  sinking  wreck ; and  the  killed,  and  among 
them  the  captain,  sunk  with  the  vessel,  Feb.  24. 
The  house  of  commons  agree,  by  a majority  of  40, 
in  a house  of  488,  to  go  into  a committee  on  the  Ca- 
tholic question,  March  2.  James  Madison  inaugu- 
rated President,  and  Elbridge  Gerry  Vice-president 
of  the  United  States,  March  4.  The  Russians  enter 
Hamburg,  March  8,  and  Berlin,  March  10.  The 
Russians  defeat  the  French  at  Lunenburg,  under 
Morand,  who  is  slain,  April  2.  Sir  John  Murray 
defeats  the  French  under  Suchet,  at  Castello,  in 
Spain,  April  13.  Thorn  surrenders  to  the  Russians, 
April  16,  and  Spandau  on  the  18th  April.  York, 
capital  of  Upper  Canada,  taken  by  the  Americans 
under  Gen.  Dearborn,  in  which  Gen.  Pike  was  killed 
by  an  explosion  of  a magazine,  April  27.  Battle  of 
Lutzen,  in  which  the  victory  is  claimed  both  by  the 
French  and  the  allies,  May  2.  Havre  de  Grace, 
Md.,  burned  by  Admiral  Cockburn,  May  3.  The 
Roman  Catholic  bill  lost  at  its  third  reading  in  the 
house  of  commons,  by  a majority  of  4,  May  24.  Fort 
George  and  Fort  Erie  captured  by  the  Americans, 
May  27.  The  British  attack  Sacket’s  harbor,  and 
are  repulsed,  May  29.  The  United  States  frigate 
Chesapeake,  captured  by  the  British  frigate  Shannon, 
June  1st.  The  Chesapeake,  of  36  guns,  was  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Lawrence ; the  Shannon,  of  38 
guns,  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Broke.  The  Chesa- 
peake lost  its  commander,  who,  mortally  wounded, 
exclaimed  in  his  delirium,  “ Don’t  give  up  the  ship, ” 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


231 

The  Chesapeake  had  67  killed  and  104  wounded. 
The  Shannon  had  26  killed  and  56  wounded.  Capt. 
Broke  was  knighted ; a distinction  not  commonly 
conferred  on  the  capturer  of  a single  frigate  of  equal 
force ; but  it  was  the  only  instance  of  similar  suc- 
cess during  the  war.  The  British  and  Indians,  1,300 
in  number,  repulsed  at  Lower  Sandusky  by  Major 
Croghan  with  160  Americans,  Aug.  2.  The  British 
brig  Boxer  captured  by  the  United  States  brig  En- 
terprise, Sept.  5th.  The  British  squadron  on  Lake 
Erie,  commanded  by  Capt.  Barclay,  surrenders  to 
the  American  squadron  under  Commodore  Perry. 
The  American  squadron,  under  Capt.  Oliver  H. 
Perry,  consisted  of  9 small  vessels,  carrying  in  the 
whole  54  guns ; the  British  consisted  of  6 larger  ves- 
sels, mounting  in  the  whole  63  guns.  The  comple- 
ment of  men  of  the  British  exceeded  that  of  the 
Americans.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  27  kill- 
ed and  96  wounded,  Sept.  10.  Commodore  Perry 
turned  the  scale  of  battle  by  leaving  his  flag-ship, 
nearly  a wreck,  and  proceeding  in  an  open  boat, 
carrying  his  colors  amidst  a tremendous  fire,  to  a 
fresh  ship.  The  United  States  brig  Argus  captured 
by  the  British  brig  Pelican.  Battle  of  the  Thames, 
in  which  the  Americans,  under  Gen.  Harrison,  de- 
feated the  British  and  Indians  under  Gen.  Proctor, 
taking  601  men  prisoners.  The  British  had  12  regu- 
lars and  33  Indians  killed,  and  22  regulars  wounded. 
The  Indian  chief  Tecumseh  was  killed,  probably  by 
Col.  Johnson.  Gen.  Jackson,  with  2,000  Tennessee 
volunteers,  attacks  the  Creek  Indians  and  defeats 
them  with  the  loss  of  300  warriors.  The  Americans 
lost  15  killed  and  80  wounded,  Nov.  9.  Gen. 
McClure  abandoned  Fort  George,  and  burned  the 
village  of  Newark,  U.  C.,  Dec.  10.  This  was  used 
by  the  British  afterwards  as  a poor  excuse  for  burn- 
ing Washington,  though  it  had  been  avenged  imme- 
diately by  the  burning  of  Buffalo,  Black  Rock,  &c. 
Bombay  mission  commenced  by  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
Benjamin  Rush  died  at  Philadelphia,  aged  68.  Ro- 
bert R.  Livingston  died,  in  his  66th  year.  Theophi- 
lus  Parsons  died,  aged  63. 


CHRONOLOGY 


232 

A.  D. 

1814.  Allies  invaded  France  at  different  points ; after  many 
conflicts  with  various  success,  entered  Paris,  March 
31.  Bonaparte  abdicated,  April  11;  embarked  for 
Elba,  April  28.  Louis  XVIII.  entered  Paris,  May 
3.  Ferdinand  VII.  entered  Madrid,  May  14.  Peace 
between  France  and  the  allies,  May  30.  France 
reduced  to  her  limits  as  they  were  in  Jan.  1,  1792. 
King  of  Spain  suppressed  the  Cortes ; re-established 
the  inquisition,  Jesuits’  college,  &c.  Norway  united 
to  Sweden,  Aug.  14.  Washington  city  taken  by  the 
British,  and  the  public  buildings,  library  of  congress, 
&c.,  burned  ; this  Vandal  act  roused  the  spirit  of  the 
nation.  Messrs.  Clay  and  Russel,  commissioners, 
sail  from  New  York  in  the  U.  S.  frigate  John  Adams 
for  Gottenburg,  Feb.  25.  Gen.  Hull  found  guilty 
by  a court-martial  and  sentenced  to  be  shot,  March 
28.  The  president  approves  the  sentence  and  re- 
mits the  execution,  April  25.  Blockade  of  the  whole 
American  coast  proclaimed  by  Admiral  Cochrane, 
against  which  the  president  protests  as  an  impossi- 
bility, and  calls  upon  neutral  nations  to  disregard  it. 
Congress  of  Vienna,  Sept.  26.  Belgium  united  to 
Holland.  Hanover,  a kingdom.  The  British  sloop 
of  war  L’Epervier,  of  18  guns,  Capt.  Wales,  cap- 
tured by  the  U.  S.  sloop  of  war  Peacock,  of  18  guns, 
Capt.  Warrington,  after  an  action  of  42  minutes,  in 
which  L’Epervier  had  8 killed  and  15  wounded,  and 
the  Peacock  only  2 wounded,  April  29.  Oswego 
taken  by  1,800  British,  after  a resistance  of  2 days, 
by  300  men  under  Lieut.  Col.  Michell.  The  British 
had  19  killed  and  75  wounded  ; the  Americans  had  6 
killed,  38  wounded,  and  26  missing,  May  6.  The  Bri- 
tish Champlain  squadron  beaten  off  from  the  battery  at 
the  mouth  of  Otter  Creek.  McDonough’s  squadron 
was  fitting  up  at  Vergennes,  7 miles  from  the  mouth 
of  Otter  Creek.  The  object  of  the  British  was, 
probably,  after  capturing  this  battery,  to  sink  the 
hulk  of  a vessel  in  the  channel,  which  would  have 
much  obstructed  the  egress  of  McDonough’s  fleet,  not 
yet  completed.  The  channel  is  narrow  and  crooked, 
though  deep.  This  small  battery  was  served  with 
such  spirit,  that  the  British  were  beaten  off  without 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD.  233 

accomplishing  their  object,  though  the  cannon  of  the 
battery  were  nearly  all  dismounted.  Capt.  Pring, 
the  British  commander,  was  severely  reflected  on, 
after  his  return  to  Canada,  which  probably  induced 
him  to  fight  his  fine  brig  for  15  minutes  after  the 
main  vessel,  the  Confiance,  had  surrendered,  at  the 
battle  of  Plattsburg.  The  Independence  74,  launched 
at  Boston,  June  22.  The  British  sloop  of  war  Rein- 
deer, of  18  guns,  Capt.  Manners,  captured  by  the 
U.  S.  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  Capt.  Blakeley,  after  an 
action  of  19  minutes.  The  Reindeer  had  25  killed 
and  42  wounded,  and  the  Wasp  had  5 killed  and  21 
wounded,  June  28.  Fort  Erie,  with  a garrison  of 
137  men,  surrendered  to  Maj.  Gen.  Brown  without 
resistance.  Battle  of  Chippewa,  in  which  Gen. 
Brown  defeats  the  British  under  Gen.  Riall,  and 
compels  him  to  retreat  to  Fort  George.  The  Ameri- 
cans had  60  killed,  229  wounded,  and  19  missing ; 
the  British  had  148  killed,  320  wounded,  and  46 
missing,  July  5.  Battle  of  Bridgewater,  or  Niagara 
Falls,  in  which  Gen.  Brown  attacked  the  British  un- 
der Gen.  Drummond,  and  after  a sanguinary  en- 
gagement, which  lasted  from  5 o’clock  till  midnight, 
drove  him  from  all  his  positions,  stormed  his  batteries, 
captured  his  artillery,  and  after  keeping  possession 
of  the  field  for  3 hours,  the  Americans  returned  to 
their  encampment  without  interruption.  The  Ameri- 
cans had  171  killed,  572  wounded,  among  whom  were 
Generals  Brown  and  Scott,  and  117  missing.  The 
British  admitted  84  killed,  559  wounded,  193  miss- 
ing, and  43  prisoners.  Among  the  wounded  were 
Generals  Drummond  and  Riall,  the  latter  made  pris- 
oner, July  25.  Lord  Gambier,  Henry  Goulbourn, 
and  William  Adams,  appointed  by  the  British  gov- 
ernment commissioners  to  treat  at  Ghent.  Stoning- 
ton  attacked  by  a British  squadron  under  Commodore 
Hardy,  and  repulsed  by  the  militia.  The  British 
fleet  of  60  sail,  under  Admiral  Cochrane,  with  a land 
force  of  6,000  men,  under  Gen.  Ross,  entered  Chesa- 
peake bay,  and  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pa- 
tuxent. Commodore  Barney  blew  up  his  flotilla  of 
gunboats  in  that  river,  and  proceeded  to  join  Gen. 

20* 


234  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

Winder,  who  had  command  of  the  district,  with  a 
force,  including  the  militia,  of  over  7,000  men.  The 
British  advanced  to  the  attack  of  Washington,  and 
the  only  successful  resistance  which  they  encoun- 
tered, was  that  of  Commodore  Barney  and  his  brave 
sailors  and  marines,  on  the  heights  of  Bladensburg, 
who,  though  deserted  by  the  militia,  fought  until  they 
were  surrounded,  and  their  commander  wounded,  and 
they  were  compelled  to  surrender.  On  the  evening 
of  Aug.  24,  Gen.  Ross  entered  the  city  at  the  head 
of  800  men,  burned  the  capitol,  president’s  house, 
and  other  public  buildings,  the  library  of  congress 
and  public  archives,  and  then  retreated  to  their 
ships.  The  nation  was  roused  by  this  savage  war- 
fare, and  the  signal  defeats  of  the  British  at  Balti- 
more, Plattsburg,  and  New  Orleans  were  effected 
under  the  stimulus  of  this  Vandal  outrage.  The 
British  sloop  of  war  Avon,  of  18  guns,  Capt.  Arbuth- 
not,  sunk  by  the  U.  S.  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  of  18  guns, 
Capt.  Blakeley,  after  an  action  of  46  minutes,  in  which 
the  Avon  had  9 killed  and  33  wounded,  and  the  Wasp 
had  2 killed  and  1 wounded,  Sept.  1.  The  British 
squadron  under  Commodore  Downie,  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain, attacked  the  American  squadron  under  Com- 
modore McDonough,  in  the  harbor  of  Plattsburgh. 
After  a sanguinary  contest  of  2h.  20m.,  the  British 
squadron,  excepting  the  gunboats,  was  captured. 
The  American  force  was  86  guns,  and  the  British 
95  guns.  The . Americans  had  52  killed  and  58 
wounded ; the  British  had  84  killed  and  110  wound- 
ed. Commodore  Downie  had  great  confidence  of 
victory  ; his  flag-ship,  the  Confiance,  was  very  pow- 
erful, and  her  metal  unusually  heavy  ; said  a sail- 
ing-master who  was  among  the  captured  officers, 
44  There  is  not  a frigate  in  the  whole  British  navy, 
which  has  a more  powerful  battery  than  that  vessel.” 
It  is  said  that  Commodore  Downie  remarked  to  his 
men,  when  coming  into  battle,  44 1 allow  you  30  min- 
utes to  capture  that  fleet but  before  that  time  had 
expired,  he  lay  low  in  death,  Sept.  11.  Sir  George 
Prevost,  who  occupied  Plattsburgh  with  14,000  Bri- 
tish troops,  made  a simultaneous  attack  on  the  land 


OP  THE  WORLD. 


235 


on  the  American  force,  consisting  of  1,500  regular 
troops  under  Gen.  Macomb,  and  3,000  militia  from 
Vermont  and  New  York,  under  Gen.  Strong  and 
Gen.  Mooers,  in  which  they  were  unsuccessful. 
There  were  several  things  in  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burgh and  of  Lake  Champlain,  which  deserve  notice. 
The  battle  took  place  in  the  forenoon  on  the  sab- 
bath. After  the  British  squadron  came  in  sight, 
McDonough  called  together  on  board  of  his  vessel 
all  the  men  of  the  squadron  who  could  be  spared 
from  duty,  and  had  a fervent  prayer  offered  to  the 
God  of  battles  for  success.  Instead  of  being  elated 
by  his  victory,  McDonough  never  appeared  so  sober 
and  considerate  as  after  this  great  and  eventful 
battle. 

In  regard  to  the  British  land  force,  it  was  the  largest 
and  best  that  had  ever  invaded  the  country,  consist- 
ing of  14,000  men  who  had  fought  in  the  Spanish 
peninsula,  and  was  led  by  Sir  George  Prevost,  gov- 
ernor of  Canada,  an  able  and  experienced  general, 
who  had  something  of  the  prudence  and  the  bravery 
of  Washington.  Before  the  downfall  of  Bonaparte, 
the  American  war  was  considered  a mere  episode  in 
the  great  epic  of  the  world ; he  had  been  indiffer- 
ently supported,  and  by  his  prudence  and  general- 
ship he  had  saved  the  Canadas.  It  was  not  to  the 
honor  of  Great  Britain  that  this  veteran  general  died 
under  arrest,  and  especially  that  his  accuser  was  Sir 
James  Lucas  Yeo,  commander  of  the  squadron  on 
Lake  Ontario,  whose  naval  tactics  consisted  in  great 
skill  in  running  away,  and  but  for  which,  Lake  On- 
tario, as  well  as  Erie  and  Champlain,  would  have 
had  its  general  engagement.  Sir  George  Prevost 
died  before  his  trial,  and  his  death  was  probably 
hastened  by  his  mortification.  He  might  have  cap- 
tured the  American  fort,  but  he  would  have  lost 
many  men  in  doing  it,  and  after  the  capture  of  the 
fleet  it  could  have  answered  no  valuable  purpose, 
and  he  preferred  a retreat,  to  offering  a human  sacri- 
fice of  several  hundred  men  to  wounded  honor ; and 
for  this  he  deserved  approbation  and  not  disgrace.— 
The  British  probably  supposed  that  there  were  as 


236  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

many  as  20,000  American  militia  at  Plattsburgh. 
The  gunboats  of  the  British  fleet  made  their  escape. 
The  sabbath  after  the  defeat,  the  officers  and  men 
attended  church,  when  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Charles 
Stewart,  afterwards  bishop  of  Quebec,  then  a mis- 
sionary at  St.  Armand,  in  a sermon  on  the  occasion, 
reproved  them  for  choosing  the  sabbath  for  the  en- 
gagement, remarking,  that  “ nothing  less  than  defeat 
could  have  been  expected,  in  attacking  a pious  man 
at  his  devotions  on  the  sabbath 
The  battle  of  Baltimore,  in  which  5,000  British,  led 
by  Gen.  Ross,  were  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  their 
commander  and  46  killed  and  295  wounded  ; the 
Americans  had  40  killed  and  200  wounded,  and  49 
taken  prisoners,  Sept.  12.  Emboldened  by  his  suc- 
cess at  Washington,  Ross  boasted  that  he  would  make 
his  winter-quarters  in  Baltimore ; but  his  winter- 
quarters  were  amidst  the  clods  of  the  valley.  Fort 
McHenry,  which  defends  the  harbor,  was  bombarded 
by  the  whole  British  squadron,  consisting  of  16  ves- 
sels ; but  they  were  foiled,  and  retired  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Aug.  14.  On  the  18th  of  Nov.,  a powerful 
fleet,  consisting  of  60  vessels  with  8,000  troops,  ar- 
rived at  the  entrance  of  Lake  Borgne,  designed  for 
the  attack  of  New  Orleans.  On  the  2d  of  Dec., 
Gen.  Jackson,  with  the  regular  troops,  arrived,  and 
was  joined  by  large  detachments  from  Tennessee  and 
Kentucky.  Dec.  16,  New  Orleans  was  put  under 
martial  law,  and  vigorous  preparations  were  made 
for  its  defence.  Extensive  works  were  erected  4 
miles  below  the  city,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. On  the  night  of  the  23d,  they  were  violently 
assaulted  by  Gen.  Jackson,  in  which  they  lost  500 
men  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  On  the  night 
of  Dec.  31st,  they  attempted  three  times  to  storm  the 
American  works,  but  were  repulsed.  Treaty  of 
peace  concluded  at  Ghent,  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain,  Dec.  24.  Elbridge  Gerry  died 
at  Washington,  aged  70. 

1815.  The  troops  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  struggled 
with  various  success,  but  on  the  morning  of  Jan.  8, 
the  main  body  of  the  British,  led  by  Gen.  Packen- 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


237 


ham,  attempted  to  storm  the  American  lines.  Gen. 
Packenham  was  mortally  wounded,  as  was  Gen. 
Gibbs,  the  second  in  command.  At  8 o’clock,  the 
British  retreated  to  their  works,  having  lost  700 
killed,  1,400  wounded,  and  500  captured,  making  a 
total  of  2,600.  The  Americans,  in  this  battle,  lost 
but  6 killed  and  7 wounded ; a disparity  unexam- 
pled in  the  history  of  warfare,  and  Gen.  Jackson  was 
too  well  satisfied  with  the  result,  to  interrupt  their 
retreat.  Congress  of  Vienna  guarantied  the  integ- 
rity of  22  Swiss  cantons  ; issued  a manifesto  against 
Bonaparte  on  his  return  to  France.  Bonaparte  left 
Elba,  Feb.  26  ; landed  at  Cannes,  March  1 ; entered 
Paris,  March  21.  Britain,  Russia,  Austria,  Prussia, 
bind  themselves  to  bring  15,000  men  each  into  the 
field  against  Bonaparte,  March  25.  Murat  attacked 
the  Austrians ; lost  the  battle  of  Tolentino,  May  3, 
and  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  May  20.  The  three 
legations  restored  to  the  pope,  May  29.  Bonaparte 
left  Paris  to  conflict  with  the  allies,  June  10.  Battle 
of  Waterloo,  June  18.  Bonaparte  abdicated  in  favor 
of  his  son,  June  24.  The  allies  entered  France. 
Capitulation  of  Paris,  July  3.  Return  of  Louis 
XVIII.  to  the  capital,  July  8.  Bonaparte  surrender- 
ed himself  to  Capt.  Maitland,  of  the  British  ship 
Bellerophon,  July  15.  Ney  and  Labedoyere  shot. 
Holy  Alliance  concluded,  Sept.  26.  Bonaparte  at 
St.  Plelena,  Oct.  26.  Ionian  republic  established, 
Nov.  5.  New  treaties,  providing  for  the  occupation 
of  France  by  foreign  troops  for  five  years,  and  fur- 
ther contracting  the  French  frontier,  concluded  be- 
tween the  allies  and  Louis  XVIII.,  Nov.  20.  Con- 
gress of  Vienna  adjusted  the  boundary  of  states, 
formerly  dependent  on  the  French  empire  ; fixed  the 
constitution  of  Germany.  A treaty  of  amity  between 
his  Britannic  majesty  and  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca, ratified  by  the  president  of  the  U.  S.,  Feb.  17. 
U.  S.  frigate  Constitution,  captured  the  British  sloops 
of  war  Cyane  and  Levant,  off  Madeira.  U.  S.  sloop 
of  war  Hornet,  Capt.  Biddle,  captured  the  British 
brig  Penguin,  off  Brazil.  Massacre  at  Dartmoor 
prison,  of  7 killed  and  60  wounded,  disavowed  by  the 


CHRONOLOGY 


238 

A.  I 

British,  and  compensation  made  to  the  widows  of  the 
sufferers.  Commodores  Decatur  and  Bainbridge 
sent  against  Algiers ; captured  2 Algerine  vessels, 
and  concluded  an  honorable  peace,  July  4.  Merri- 
mac  canal  opened  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  from  Boston, 
June  23.  David  Ramsay  died  at  Charleston,  aged 
66.  Robert  Fulton  died,  in  his  50th  year.  Chaun- 
cey  Goodrich  died  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  in  his 
56th  year. 

L816.  Majority  of  37  in  the  house  of  commons  against  the 
property  tax,  March  19.  Princess  of  Wales  married 
to  Prince  Leopold,  of  Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,  May  2. 
Bombardment  of  Algiers  by  Lord  Exmouth,  Aug. 
27.  Declaration  of  South  American  independence 
issued  at  Buenos  Ayres.  Duke  of  Cambridge  Gov. 
Gen.  of  Hanover,  Nov.  2.  Distress,  riots  in  Eng- 
land, Spa-fields  mob,  Dec.  2.  Indiana  admitted  to 
the  Union.  A national  bank  established  by  congress, 
with  a capital  of  $35,000,000.  American  Bible  So- 
ciety founded  at  New  York.  The  Hartford  asylum 
for  teaching  the  deaf  and  dumb,  the  first  of  the  kind 
in  the  United  States,  founded.  Large  fire  in  New 
York,  loss,  $200,000.  Francis  Asbury,  bishop  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  died,  in  his  71st  year. 
Nathan  Strong  died  at  Hartford,  Ct. 

1817.  Habeas  Corpus  act  suspended,  March  7.  Insurrection 
at  Nottingham.  Convention  between  Louis  XVIII. 
and  the  pope ; privileges  of  the  Gallican  church  se- 
cured. Spain  disturbed,  and  Portugal  threatened 
with  popular  tumults.  Waterloo  bridge  opened, 
June  18.  Bolivar  supreme  chief  of  the  government 
of  Venezuela.  Death  of  the  Princess  Charlotte,  to 
the  great  grief  of  the  nation,  Nov.  6.  Pindarri  war 
in  India ; ended,  Dec.  17.  James  Monroe  inau- 
gurated President,  and  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  Vice- 
president  of  the  United  States.  Mississippi  admitted 
to  the  Union.  The  University  of  Virginia,  with  a 
large  fund,  founded  at  Charlottesville.  The  Erie 
canal  was  commenced,  and  the  first  excavation  made, 
July  4.  Missions  of  the  American  Board  to  the 
Cherokees,  commenced  at  Brainerd,  Tenn.  Printing 
commenced  in  English,  and  in  Guess’s  Cherokee  syl. 


A.  D. 


OE  THE  WORLD. 


239 


labic  alphabet.  Timothy  Dwight,  president  of  Yale 
College,  died  at  New  Haven,  in  his  65th  year. 

1818.  Habeas  Corpus  suspension  act  repealed,  Jan.  31.  Ber- 

nadotte,  king  of  Sweden,  Feb.  30.  Censorship  of 
the  press  enforced  by  Louis  XVIII.  France,  Spain, 
and  the  Netherlands,  agree  to  measures  proposed  by 
England  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade. 
Duke  of  Clarence  married  to  the  princess  of  Saxe- 
Meiningen  ; duke  of  Kent  married  to  the  princess  of 
Saxe-Coburg,  July  13.  A papal  bull  allowed  the 
benefices  of  Spain  to  remain  two  years  vacant,  and 
yielded  the  revenues  to  the  service  of  the  govern- 
ment, Aug.  12.  Congress  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Sept. 
29.  Army  of  occupation  withdrawn  from  France, 
Oct.  9.  Death  of  the  British  queen,  Charlotte,  Nov. 
17.  Illinois  admitted  to  the  Union.  The  college  at 
Waterville,  Me.,  under  the  Baptists,  was  opened. 
Massachusetts  general  hospital  founded  at  Boston. 
War  with  the  Seminole  Indians.  Mission  to  the 
Choctaws  established.  Arthur  St.  Clair,  a lieutenant 
under  Gen.  Wolfe,  at  Quebec,  and  afterwards  Maj. 
Gen.  in  the  revolutionary  army,  died  in  his  84th 
year.  Caspar  Wistar  died,  in  his  57th  year.  Jo- 
seph McKean,  president  of  Bowdoin  College,  died, 
aged  42  years. 

1819.  Southwark  bridge  opened,  March  26.  Princess  Vic- 

toria born,  May  23.  Radical  reform  meetings,  June 
23.  Congress  of  Carlsbad,  Aug.  1.  Manchester 
massacre,  Aug.  16.  Chili,  Buenos  Ayres,  and  Co- 
lombia, de  facto  independent.  The  “ Six  Acts” 
sanctioned  by  the  British  legislature.  Spain  cedes 
the  Floridas  to  the  United  States.  New  South  Shet- 
land discovered.  Alabama  admitted  to  the  Union. 
Arkansas  erected  into  a territory.  The  first  steam- 
ship sailed  for  Europe  in  May.  William  Samuel 
Johnson,  late  president  of  Columbia  College,  which 
he  left  in  1810,  died  in  Stratford,  Ct.,  aged  93  years. 
Hugh  Williamson  died  at  New  York,  in  his  85th 
year.  Caleb  Strong  died  at  Northampton,  Mass., 
aged  75  years.  John  Langdon  died  at  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  aged  79  years.  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  the 
hero  of  Lake  Erie,  died  in  the  West  Indies. 


240 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1820.  Revolution  in  Spain;  constitution  of  1812  proclaimed, 
Jan.  1.  Death  of  George  III.,  Jan.  29.  The  king 
of  Spain  swears  to  the  constitution ; inquisition  sup. 
pressed,  March  8.  Expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from 
Russia,  March  25.  Revolution  at  Naples,  May  15. 
Carbonari  constitutional  junta  in  Portugal,  Oct.  1. 
Maine  admitted  to  the  Union  as  a separate  state. 
The  population  of  the  United  States,  by  the  census, 
was  9,708,135.  William  Ellery  died  at  Newport, 
in  his  90th  year.  Joseph  Lathrop  died  at  West 
Springfield,  in  his  90th  year. 

182a.  Revolution  in  Brazil,  Jan.  1.  Congress  of  Leyback. 
Austrian  army  occupied  Naples,  Jan.  8.  Disturb- 
ances in  Piedmont ; the  king  resigned  in  favor  of  his 
brother,  April  10.  Death  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
May  5.  Coronation  of  George  IV.,  July  19.  Aus- 
trian troops  occupied  the  kingdom  of  Sardinia,  July 
29.  George  IV.  visits  Dublin,  Aug.  17,  and  Hano- 
ver, Oct.  10.  Catholic  bill  lost  in  the  house  of  peers. 
James  Monroe  inaugurated  President,  and  Daniel  D. 
Tompkins  Vice-president  of  the  United  States.  Mis- 
souri, the  24th  state,  admitted  to  the  Union.  The 
Columbian  College,  under  the  Baptists,  founded  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  Presbyterian  Theological  Semi- 
nary, at  Auburn,  founded.  Liberia  colony  founded 
in  Africa,  and  the  capital  called  Monrovia.  Elias 
Boudinot  died,  in  his  82d  year.  Samuel  Worcester, 
secretary  of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
died  at  Brainerd,  an  Indian  town. 

1822.  The  Greeks  declare  themselves  free,  Jan.  1.  Prince 
royal  of  Brazil,  instituted  a representative  govern- 
ment, Feb.  16.  Spanish  Cortes  meet  at  Madrid, 
March  1.  The  Greeks  victorious  at  Larissa,  Salon- 
ica,  and  Thermopylae  The  king  of  Portugal  swore 
to  the  new  constitution,  Oct.  1.  Brazil  independent ; 
the  prince-regent  proclaimed  emperor,  Oct.  12.  Con- 
gress of  Verona,  Oct.  20.  Great  distress  in  Ireland. 
George  IV.  visits  Scotland.  Boston  incorporated  as 
a city.  Conspiracy  of  the  negroes  at  Charleston,  S. 
C. : 35  were  executed.  Rees5  Cyclopaedia  in  41  vols. 
4to.,  and  6 additional  vols.  of  plates,  reprinted  at 
Philadelphia.  Eighty-nine  steamboats  were  enrolled 


A . D, 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


241 


at  New  Orleans,  with  a tonnage  of  over  18,000  tons. 
William  Pinkney  died  at  Washington,  in  his  57th 
year.  Alexander  Metcalf  Fisher,  the  youthful  pro- 
fessor of  natural  philosophy  in  Yale  College,  was 
cast  away  in  the  Albion,  on  the  coast  of  Ireland,  and 
was  lost,  with  the  ill-fated  crew  of  that  vessel,  aged 
28.  John  Stark  died  at  Manchester,  N.  H.,  in  his 
94th  year. 

1823.  Mediation  of  the  Holy  Alliance  rejected  by  the  Cortes 

of  Spain,  Jan.  9.  Removal  of  Ferdinand  to  Seville, 
thence  to  Cadiz,  March  20.  French  army  entered 
Spain,  April  7,  and  Madrid,  May  23.  The  king  of 
Portugal  suppressed  the  constitution,  June  5.  Cadiz 
invested  by  the  French,  June  25.  Guatemala  pro- 
claimed its  independence,  July  20.  Battle  of  Tro- 
cadero  before  Cadiz,  Aug.  31.  Riego  taken,  Sept. 
15  ; executed  at  Madrid,  Nov.  27.  Proceedings  of 
the  Cortes  from  March  7,  1820,  annulled;  end  of  the 
Spanish  revolution,  Oct.  1.  Mexican  constitution 
proclaimed,  Oct.  4.  The  government  of  Great  Bri- 
tain sent  consuls  to  the  new  states  of  South  America. 
10,000  barrels  of  flour  were  embarked  on  the  Erie 
canal,  from  Rochester,  for  New  York  and  Albany  ; 
Oct.  8,  the  first  boats  passed.  American  mission 
commenced  at  Beyroot,  in  Western  Asia.  John 
Treadwell  died,  in  his  78th  year.  Samuel  Wyllys 
died  at  Hartford,  aged  84  years.  Tapping  Reeve 
died  at  Litchfield,  Ct.,  aged  78. 

1824.  The  English  troops  defeated  by  the  Ashantees,  Jan. 

21.  Bolivar,  dictator  of  Peru,  Feb.  10.  Lord  Has- 
tings, governor-general  of  India,  declared  war  against 
the  Burmese,  March  5.  Capture  of  Rangoon,  May 
5.  The  Ashantees  driven  from  Cape  Coast  Castle, 
July  22.  Charles  X.,  king  of  France.  Treaty  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Colombia,  Oct.  3.  Pro- 
visional government  in  Greece,  Oct.  12.  The  Turks 
evacuated  Moldavia,  Nov.  23.  Mechanics’  institu- 
tions formed  in  England.  Union  of  the  Scotch  dis- 
senters. Catholic  rent.  A convention  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave  trade,  March  13.  The  boundary 
between  Russia  and  the  United  States,  fixed  at  54° 
21 


242 


CHRONOLOGY 


40'  N.  lat.,  on  the  N.  W.  coast  of  America.  Gera. 
Lafayette  visited  the  U.  S.  by  invitation  of  congress, 
and  landed  in  New  York,  Aug.  13.  Congress  voted 
him  $200,000  in  money,  and  a township  of  land,  in 
part  for  his  services  in  the  revolutionary  war. 
Berkshire  Medical  Institution  at  Pittsfield,  founded. 
Charles  Thompson,  formerly  secretary  of  congress, 
died,  near  Philadelphia,  in  his  95th  year. 

1825.  Great  Britain  concluded  a treaty  of  commerce  with 
the  united  provinces  of  Rio  de  la  Plata,  Feb.  2. 
John  Quincy  Adams  inaugurated  as  President,  and 
John  C.  Calhoun  as  Vice-president  of  the  U.  States. 
Ibrahim  Pasha  invaded  Greece,  Feb.  26.  Conven- 
tion concluded  between  Russia  and  Great  Britain, 
for  the  freedom  of  navigation,  commerce,  and  the 
fishery  on  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  the  northwest  coast 
of  America,  Feb.  28.  Independence  of  St.  Domingo 
confirmed  by  France,  April  17.  Treaty  between 
Great  Britain  and  Colombia,  April  18.  Ibrahim 
Pasha  defeated  the  Greeks  near  Forgi,  April  19. 
Treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  Mexico,  April  29. 
Ports  in  the  East  Indies  belonging  to  the  Dutch, 
opened  to  the  ships  of  all  nations,  July  21.  Resolu- 
tion of  the  provisional  government  of  Greece  to  have 
recourse  to  the  protection  of  England,  July  24. 
Treaty  of  commerce  and  navigation  concluded  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  the  Hanse-Towns,  Sept.  26. 
The  Spaniards  evacuated  Mexico,  Nov.  18.  Death 
of  Alexander,  emperor  of  Russia,  Dec.  1.  General 
Campbell  defeated  the  Burmese  near  Prome.  Acts 
against  the  Catholic  association.  Petitions  against 
the  corn  laws.  Joint  stock  company  mania ; commer- 
cial distress  ; failures.  The  50th  anniversary  of  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill  celebrated  in  Boston,  and  the 
corner-stone  of  the  commemorative  monument  laid 
by  Gen.  Lafayette,  when  an  address  was  delivered 
by  Hon.  Daniel  Webster.  Lafayette  left  the  coun- 
try for  France,  Sept.  7.  Treaty  with  the  Creeks 
and  the  Osages,  by  which  they  were  aided  by  the 
United  States  in  making  improvements.  The  Stock- 
bridge  Indians  settled  at  Green  Bay.  Ground  broken 
for  the  Ohio  canal  on  the  Hocking  summit,  by  Gov. 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


243 


Dewitt  Clinton,  July  4.  The  Farmington  canal,  from 
New  Haven  to  Northampton,  begun.  Amherst  Col- 
lege  incorporated.  Newton  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary,  founded.  Charles  Cotesworth  Pinkney 
died,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  John  Brooks  died  at 
Medford,  Mass.,  in  his  73d  year.  William  Eustis 
died  at  Boston,  in  his  72d  year.  Eli  Whitney,  in- 
ventor of  the  cotton-gin,  died  at  New  Haven,  aged 
57  years. 

1826.  War  between  Brazil  and  Buenos  Ayres,  Jan.  3. 
Bhurtpore  stormed  by  the  British  troops  under  Lord 
Combermere.  Sir  A.  Campbell  defeated  the  Bur- 
mese near  Malloun,  Jan.  20.  Surrender  of  Callao, 
Jan.  23.  Peru  evacuated  by  the  Spaniards.  Treaty 
of  navigation  between  Great  Britain  and  Franco, 
Jan.  26.  Death  of  John  VI.,  emperor  and  king  of 
Portugal.  Don  Pedro  granted  the  Portuguese  a 
charter ; confirmed  the  regency,  April  26  ; abdica- 
ted in  favor  of  his  daughter,  Donna  Maria  da  Gloria, 
May  2.  Treaty  of  navigation  between  Great  Britain 
and  Sweden,  May  19.  Departure  of  the  Ottoman 
troops  from  Wallachia.  Opening  of  the  first  con- 
gress of  the  Bolivian  republic,  May  25.  Landing 
of  the  Greeks  near  Salonichi ; battle  with  Omer 
Pasha,  June  1.  Importation  of  foreign  silks  into 
Great  Britain  permitted,  from  June  5.  Insurrection 
of  the  Janisaries  at  Constantinople.  New  organiza- 
tion of  the  Ottoman  army.  Defeat  of  the  Janisa- 
ries; suppression  of  the  corps,  June  14,  15,  16. 
Convocation  of  a general  congress  in  Chili,  to  form 
a constitution,  June  15.  The  national  congress  con- 
stituted Chili  a con  federative  state,  July  11.  Ashan- 
tees  defeated  the  English,  Aug.  7.  National  assem- 
bly of  Greece  called  together  in  the  isle  of  Paros, 
July  14.  Bolivar,  president  of  Peru  for  life,  July 
19.  Nicholas,  emperor  of  Russia,  crowned  at  Mos- 
cow, Sept.  3.  Russia  declared  war  against  Persia. 
Colombian  flag  admitted* into  French  ports,  Sept.  28. 
The  infant,  Don  Miguel,  takes  the  oath  of  fealty  to 
the  Portuguese  constitution  at  Vienna,  Oct.  4.  Lot- 
teries ceased  in  England,  Oct.  18.  Treaty  between 
Great  Britain  and  Brazil,  for  the  abolition  of  the 


CHRONOLOGY 


244 

A.  D. 

slave  trade.  The  Portuguese  rebels  take  Lamego  5 
Portugal  entreated  the  assistance  of  Great  Britain, 
Dec.  3.  English  troops  arrived  at  Lisbon,  Dec.  25. 
Treaty  of  friendship,  commerce,  and  navigation,  be- 
tween Denmark  and  the  United  States,  concluded  at 
Washington,  Oct.  14.  A treaty  for  the  same  pur- 
pose with  Central  America,  concluded,  Oct.  28. 
Nashville  made  the  capital  of  Tennessee.  The 
Home  Missionary  Society  instituted  in  New  York  by 
a convention  from  13  states  and  territories.  Tre- 
mendous avalanches  or  slides  in  the  White  moun- 
tains, N.  H.,  which  occasioned  great  destruction. 
On  the  4th  of  July,  John  Adams  died  at  Quincy, 
Mass.,  in  his  91st  year ; and  Thomas  Jefferson,  at 
Monticello,  Va.,  in  his  83d  year.  They  aided,  by 
the  most  important  services,  in  achieving  American 
independence.  Jedidiah  Morse,  the  veteran  geogra- 
pher, died  at  New  Haven,  June  9,  in  his  65th  year. 

1827.  Death  of  the  duke  of  York,  Jan.  5.  The  duke  of  Wel- 
lington appointed  commander-in-chief,  Jan.  22.  Lord 
Liverpool  becomes  incapable  of  transacting  business, 
Feb.  17.  Subject  of  Catholic  claims  brought  before 
the  house  of  commons,  by  Sir  Francis  Burdett ; ma- 
jority against  concession,  four,  March  5,  6.  Depart- 
ure of  the  Ilecla,  Capt.  Parry,  from  Deptford,  on 
the  northern  exploring  expedition,  March  25.  Mr. 
Canning  appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  April 
10.  Duke  of  Clarence,  lord  high  admiral,  April  17. 
National  guard  of  France  disbanded  by  Charles  X., 
April  30.  Unitarian  marriage  bill  assented  to,  by 
the  house  of  peers,  June  26.  Resolution  of  the  Bank 
of  England  to  discount  bills  at  4 per  cent,  July  5. 
Death  of  Mr.  Canning,  Aug.  8.  Lord  Goderich  ap- 
pointed premier,  Aug.  11.  Duke  of  Portland  presi- 
dent of  the  council,  Aug.  17.  Return  of  Capt.  Parry 
from  the  northern  expedition,  Sept.  29.  Battle  of 
Navarino,  Oct.  20,  in  which  the  English,  Russian, 
and  French  fleets,  destroy  the  Turkish  fleet.  French 
chambers  dissolved ; 76  new  peers  created,  Nov.  5. 
The  Bank  of  Lisbon  suspended  its  payments,  Dec. 
7.  Several  murders  having  been  committed  by  the 
Winnebago  Indians,  they  submitted  to  give  up  the 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


245 


murderers,  and  prevented  a war  upon  them.  A re- 
volution in  Peru  overthrew  all  the  institutions  of 
Bolivar.  Rufus  King,  late  minister  to  England,  died. 
Clapperton,  the  English  traveller  in  Africa,  died. 

1828.  Resignation  of  Lord  Goderich,  Jan.  8.  Duke  of  Wel- 

lington, premier.  British  troops  withdrawn  from 
Portugal.  Usurpation  of  Don  Miguel.  Finance 
committee  appointed,  Feb.  15.  Test  and  corpora- 
tion acts  repealed,  Feb.  26.  Law  commission  ap- 
pointed, Feb.  29.  Catholic  relief  bill  rejected  by  the 
upper  house,  Jan.  9 ; majority,  44.  Mr.  O’Connel, 
a Catholic,  elected  M.  P.  for  the  county  of  Clare. 
Catholic  association.  Brunswick  clubs.  London 
University  opened.  Additional  article  to  a conven- 
tion between  the  United  States  of  America  and  the 
Hanseatic  republics  of  Lubec,  Bremen,  and  Ham- 
burg, signed  at  Washington,  June  4 ; a previous 
convention  had  been  signed,  Dec.  20,  1827.  A new 
tariff  passed,  May  13,  (since  superseded.)  Dewitt 
Clinton,  governor  of  New  York,  and  the  efficient  pro- 
moter of  the  Erie  canal,  died,  Feb.  11.  Jacob  Brown, 
Maj.  Gen.  in  the  late  American  war,  died. 

1829.  Settlement  of  the  Catholic  question  recommended,  in 

a speech  from  the  throne,  Feb.  5.  Catholic  associa- 
tion suppressed  by  act  of  parliament,  March  5.  Ca- 
tholic relief  bill  receives  the  royal  assent,  April  13. 
Irish  forty  shilling  freeholders  disfranchised.  Agri- 
cultural distress.  Partial  disturbances  in  England, 
November  and  December.  Peace  between  Russia 
and  Turkey,  Sept.  14.  Gen.  Harrison  recognised 
at  Bogota,  as  minister  plenipotentiary  of  the  United 
States.  Andrew  Jackson  chosen  President,  and  John 
C.  Calhoun  Vice-president  of  the  United  States. 
Explosion  of  the  magazine  of  the  steamship  Fulton, 
at  the  navy-yard,  Brooklyn,  26  persons  killed.  Navi- 
gation opened  on  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  canal. 
New  Roman  Catholic  cathedral  in  Montreal,  which 
holds  10,000  people,  opened.  Timothy  Pickering 
died  at  Salem,  Mass.  John  Jay,  chief-justice  of  the 
United  States,  died  at  Bedford.  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy,  the  celebrated  chemist,  died  at  Geneva.  John 
M.  Mason  died  at  New  York,  aged  60. 

21* 


CHRONOLOGY 


246 

A.  D. 

1830.  Measures  of  reform  proposed  in  the  house  of  commons, 

by  the  Marquis  of  Blandford,  Feb.  18  ; by  Lord  John 
Russel,  Feb.  23;  by  Mr.  O’Connel,  May  28,  unsuc- 
cessfully. Death  of  George  IV.,  June  26,  in  his  68th 
year.  William  IV.,  king  of  Great  Britain.  Revo- 
lution of  July,  in  France.  Duke  of  Orleans  becomes 
“king  of  the  French.55  Revolution  in  Belgium. 
Riots  in  England  ; great  destruction  of  agricultural 
produce.  Reform  associations  and  political  unions 
formed  at  Birmingham,  &c.  Duke  of  Wellington  re- 
signs, Nov.  16.  Earl  Grey,  premier;  Mr.  Brough- 
am, lord  high  chancellor.  Revolution  of  the  19th 
Nov.,  in  Poland.  Algiers  taken  by  the  French,  July 
5.  Prince  Leopold  declined  the  crown  of  Greece. 
Bolivar  resigned  his  civil  and  military  offices.  Vir- 
ginia adopted  a new  constitution.  Navigation  of  the 
Black  sea  opened  to  American  vessels.  Bill  for  re 
moving  the  Indians,  passed  the  house  of  representa- 
tives by  a vote  of  288  to  165.  Celebration  of  the 
second  centennial  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  oration  by  Josiah  Quincy,  LL.  D. 
Queen  of  Portugal  died,  aged  54.  John  S.  Ravens- 
croft,  bishop  of  N.  C.,  died  at  Raleigh,  aged  58. 
Madame  Letitia  Bonaparte,  mother  of  Napoleon, 
died  at  Rome,  aged  85.  Isaac  Parker,  chief-justice 
of  the  supreme  court  of  Mass.,  died  at  Boston,  aged 
62.  John  H.  Hobart,  bishop  of  New  York,  died  at 
Auburn. 

1831.  Reform  bill  announced  to  the  house  of  commons  by 

Lord  John  Russel,  March  1 ; read  a first  time  March 
14  ; frustrated  in  committee,  by  a motion  of  General 
Gascoyne  ; parliament  dissolved  ; debated  in  a new 
house  of  commons,  from  June  15  to  Sept.  22,  and 
carried  by  a final  majority  of  109 ; rejected  by  the 
peers,  Oct.  7,  by  a majority  of  41.  Parliament  pro- 
rogued. Riots  at  Derby,  Nottingham,  and  Bristol. 
Prince  Leopold  accepted  the  crown  of  Belgium. 
Warsaw  surrendered  to  the  Russians ; the  Poles  are 
reduced  to  complete  submission.  Insurrection  at 
Lyons,  Nov.  Cholera  Morbus  broke  out  at  Sunder- 
land. King  of  the  Netherlands  makes  his  award 
respecting  the  N.  E.  boundary  of  the  United  States, 


4 D. 


OF  THE  WORLD 


247 


Jan.  10 ; unsatisfactory  to  both  parties.  The  Uni- 
ted States  supreme  court  gave  an  opinion  granting 
an  injunction  to  stay  the  proceedings  of  Georgia, 
relative  to  the  Cherokee  lands.  American  Bible 
Society  distributed  this  year  270,000  Bibles  and 
Testaments ; receipts  125,316  dollars,  79  cents. 
Three  thousand  temperance  societies  in  the  United 
States,  with  300,000  members.  Fayetteville,  N.  C., 
destroyed  by  fire.  North  Carolina  state  house,  with 
a statue  of  Washington,  by  Canova,  destroyed  by 
fire.  Butler,  Trott,  and  Worcester,  Christian  mis- 
sionaries, sentenced  to  four  years  imprisonment  at 
hard  labor  in  the  Georgia  penitentiary,  for  residing 
among  the  Cherokees,  without  taking  the  oath  of  al- 
legiance to  the  State  of  Georgia,  Sept.  16.  The 
board  of  commissioners  approve  of  their  conduct, 
Oct.  22.  Nat.  Turner,  ringleader  in  the  insurrec- 
tion of  the  slaves  at  Southampton,  Va.,  taken  and 
executed,  Nov.  11.  Robert  Hall  died  at  Bristol, 
Eng.  Isaiah  Thomas  died  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  set. 
82.  John  Trumbull,  author  of  McFingal,  died  at 
Detroit,  Mich.,  aged  81.  James  Monroe,  fifth  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  died  at  New  York,  aged 
73  ; 100,000  persons  attended  the  funeral.  John 
H.  Rice,  President  of  the  Union  Theological  Semi- 
nary, died,  aged  54.  Samuel  L.  Mitchell  died  at 
New  York.  Hannah  Adams  died  at  Brookline, 
Mass.,  aged  76. 

1832,  The  reform  bill  (introduced  again  into  the  house  of 
commons,  Dec.  12,  1831)  is  debated  until  the  22d 
March,  and  endangered  in  the  house  of  peers  by  a 
motion  of  Lord  Lyndhurst,  May  7.  The  ministers 
resign.  The  house  of  commons  and  the  country 
present  to  the  king  addresses,  expressing  confidence 
in  the  retired  ministry.  The  duke  of  Wellington 
attempts  to  form  an  administration — fails  ; Earl 
Grey  and  his  colleagues  are  recalled,  May  18. 
Royal  assent  given  to  the  reform  bill,  June  7,  to  the 
Scotch,  July  17,  to  the  Irish,  Aug.  7.  Hereditary 
peerage  abolished  in  France.  Prince  Otho,  of  Ba- 
varia, accepted  the  sovereignty  of  Greece,  May  7. 
Garlist  and  republican  insurrection  in  Paris,  June 


248  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

5,  6.  The  city  is  declared  in  a state  of  siege.  The 
diet  of  Frankfort  published  resolutions  abridging  the 
liberties  of  Germany,  June  28.  Don  Pedro,  ex- 
emperor of  Brazil,  landed  at  Oporto,  July  9 ; civil 
war  for  the  possession  of  Portugal.  Death  of  young 
Napoleon,  (duke  of  Reichstadt,)  July  22.  The  Uni- 
ted States  supreme  court  pronounced  the  imprison- 
ment of  the  missionaries  in  Georgia  unconstitu- 
tional. The  Creek  Indians  ceded  to  the  United 
States  all  their  lands  east  of  the  Mississippi,  April  5. 
Bill  for  the  relief  of  the  surviving  officers  and  sol- 
diers of  the  revolution,  passed  by  the  American 
congress,  and  signed  by  the  president.  The  new 
tariff  act  passed  the  house  of  representatives  by  a 
vote  of  132  to  65,  and  the  senate  by  a vote  of  32  to 
16,  and  received  the  veto  of  President  Jackson,  and 
failed  of  a two-thirds  vote.  The  University  of  New 
York  organized,  Sept.  26.  Bishops  consecrated  at 
New  York  for  Vermont,  New  Jersey,  Kentucky, 
and  Ohio.  A convention  in  South  Carolina  declared 
against  the  tariff,  as  unconstitutional  and  void,  Nov. 
19.  President  Jackson  condemns  their  course,  and 
warns  them  not  to  proceed,  Dec.  10.  Gov.  Haynes 
of  S.  C.,  by  a resolve  of  the  legislature,  issued  a 
proclamation  in  answer  to  that  of  President  Jackson. 
John  C.  Calhoun  resigns  the  vice-presidency  of  the 
United  States,  Dec.  28.  Adam  Clarke  died  in  Eng- 
land. Baron  Cuvier  died  in  France.  Charles 
Carrol,  the  last  surviving  signer  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  died  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  his  96th 
year.  James  Hillhouse,  died  at  New  Haven,  Ct., 
in  his  79th  year. 

1833.  Santa  Anna  entered  the  city  of  Mexico,  Jan.  12. 
O’ConnePs  national  council  met  at  Dublin  ; 29 
members  of  parliament  present,  Jan.  17.  British 
parliament  met,  and  elected  Charles  Manners  Sutton 
speaker,  by  a vote  of  241  to  31,  Jan.  29.  Otho  I., 
king  of  Greece,  arrives  at  Napoli  di  Romania,  and 
assumes  the  government,  Feb.  6.  Earl  Grey  intro- 
duced a bill  into  the  house  of  lords,  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  disturbances  in  Ireland,  passed  in  the  house 
of  lords,  Feb.  21,  and  to  a third  reading  in  the  house 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


249 


of  commons,  by  a vote  of  346  to  86,  March  29. 
Mehemet  Ali  acknowledged  by  the  Sultan  governor 
and  actual  sovereign  of  the  country  from  the  limits 
of  Asia  Minor  to  the  mouths  of  the  Nile,  and  of 
Crete,  and  the  Holy  Land,  April  6.  Slavery  abol- 
ished in  the  British  colonies,  and  the  sum  of 
20,000,000  pounds  sterling  appropriated,  by  way  of 
loan,  to  compensate  the  owners  of  slaves  ; appren- 
ticeship to  continue  for  12  years.  Attack  on  Oporto 
by  the  army  of  Don  Miguel  repelled  with  great 
loss,  July  24.  Lisbon  surrendered  to  the  troops  of 
Don  Pedro,  July  24.  Donna  Maria  recognised  as 
queen  of  Portugal  by  the  English  government,  Aug. 
15.  The  army  of  Don  Miguel  attacks  Lisbon  and 
is  repulsed,  Sept.  5.  Marquis  Wellesley  publicly 
entered  Dublin  as  lord-lieutenant  of  Ireland,  Sept. 
26.  Ferdinand  VII.  died,  and  was  succeeded  by 
the  queen  dowager  as  regent,  until  Isabella  II.  should 
attain  to  the  age  of  18  years,  Sept.  29.  Don  Miguel 
repulsed  before  Lisbon  after  severe  fighting,  Oct.  10. 
Capt.  John  Ross,  after  an  absence  of  four  years,  in 
search  of  a northwest  passage,  returned  to  England, 
Oct.  18.  A remarkable  display  of  brilliant  meteors, 
before  daylight  in  the  morning,  Nov.  13.  The  mis- 
sionaries, imprisoned  contrary  to  law  in  the  Georgia 
penitentiary,  discharged,  Jan.  14.  New  tariff  bill 
passed,  and  signed  by  the  president,  March  1. 
Andrew  Jackson  inaugurated  president,  and  Martin 
Van  Buren  vice-president  of  the  United  States, 
March  4.  The  buildings  of  the  U.  S.  treasury  de- 
partment at  Washington  destroyed  by  fire,  March 
31.  Corner-stone  of  Girard  College  laid  at  Phila- 
delphia, July  4.  Corner-stone  of  the  New  York 
University  laid,  July  16.  Hannah  More  died  at 
Clifton,  England,  aged  88.  Alvan  Hyde  died  at 
Lee,  Mass.,  Dec.  4.  Alexander  McLeod,  died  at 
New  York,  Feb.  17,  aged  58.  Oliver  Wolcott, 
died  at  New  York,  June  1,  aged  74.  Commodore 
Wm.  Bainbridge,  died  in  Philadelphia,  July  27,  in 
his  60th  year. 

1834.  A quadruple  alliance  between  France,  England, 
Spain,  and  Portugal,  to  restore  peace  to  the  penin- 


250  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D, 

sula,  and  to  expel  Don  Carlos  and  Don  Miguel  from 
it,  entered  into,  April  22.  Santarem,  who  had 
been  in  possession  of  the  troops  of  Don  Miguel,  hav- 
ing been  taken  by  the  army  of  Queen  Maria,  the 
forces  of  the  former  surrendered,  and  Don  Miguel 
and  Don  Carlos  were  delivered  up  by  their  own 
men,  May  27.  Don  Miguel  embarks  from  Portugal 
to  Italy,  June  1.  Don  Carlos  of  Spain  arrives  at 
Portsmouth,  England,  June  17.  Lord  Grey  resigns 
the  post  of  prime  minister  of  England,  and  is  suc- 
ceeded by  Lord  Melbourne,  July  9.  The  inquisi- 
tion abolished  in  Spain,  July  15.  The  slaves  eman- 
cipated in  the  British  colonies,  and  a temporary 
apprenticeship  commenced,  Aug.  1.  A tremendous 
eruption  of  Vesuvius  commences,  and  continues 
several  days,  destroying  1,500  houses  and  other 
buildings,  Aug.  18.  The  quadruple  alliance  took 
further  measures  to  sustain  the  queens  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  on  their  thrones,  Aug.  22.  The  Spanish 
chamber  of  peers  voted  the  perpetual  exclusion  of 
Don  Carlos  and  his  heirs  from  the  throne,  Aug.  30. 
Don  Pedro,  regent  of  Portugal,  died,  and  the  Cortes 
declared  Queen  Donna  Maria  to  have  attained  her 
majority,  and  her  reign  to  have  commenced  on  the 
20th,  Sept.  24.  Both  houses  of  the  British  parlia- 
ment destroyed  by  fire,  Oct.  16.  The  Carlist  gene- 
ral obtains  a victory  over  Queen  Isabella’s  troops, 
Oct.  18.  The  first  reformed  parliament  dissolved 
by  proclamation  of  the  king,  Dec.  30.  Castle  of 
St.  Louis,  at  Quebec,  the  residence  of  the  governor, 
destroyed  by  fire,  Jan.  25.  The  7th  report  of  the 
American  Temperance  Society  announced  that  there 
were  in  the  U.  S.  over  7000  societies,  with  more 
than  1,250,000  members,  and  over  1000  American 
temperance  ships.  Ursuline  Convent  or  Nunnery 
destroyed,  at  Charlestown,  Mass.,  Aug.  11.  Wil- 
liam Wirt  died  at  Washington  city,  Feb.  18,  in  his 
62d  year.  Ebenezer  Porter,  president  of  Andover 
Theological  Seminary,  died  at  Andover,  Mass., 
April  8,  aged  62.  John  Marshall,  chief-justice  of 
the  United  States,  died  at  Philadelphia,  July  6,  aged 
79  years.  Samuel  Slater,  father  of  the  American 


A.  B. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


251 


cotton  manufactures,  died  at  Webster,  Mass.,  April 
20,  aged  67. 

1835.  Marriage  of  Maria,  queen  of  Portugal,  to  the  duke  of 
Leuchtenberg,  celebrated  at  Lisbon,  Jan.  30.  Fran- 
cis II.,  emperor  of  Austria,  died,  in  his  68th  year. 
Remarkable  eruption  of  Vesuvius,  March  13.  Don 
Augustus,  husband  of  the  queen  of  Portugal,  died, 
March  28,  after  a few  days  illness.  Lord  Mel- 
bourne succeeds  Sir  Robert  Peel  as  prime  minister 
of  England,  April  18.  Attempt  to  assassinate  the 
king  of  the  French  and  his  sons,  by  an  infernal 
machine  ; several  other  persons  killed,  and  30 
wounded,  July  29.  Nine  hundred  convents  sup- 
pressed in  Spain,  and  their  property  applied  to  the 
payment  of  the  public  debt,  July  29.  Celebration 
of  the  Lutheran  reformation,  with  much  ceremony 
for  three  days,  at  Geneva,  Aug.  22.  Emperor 
Nicholas  threatens  to  destroy  Warsaw,  on  the  least 
appearance  of  revolt,  Oct.  24.  San  Antonio  sur- 
rendered by  the  Mexicans  to  the  Texans,  with  24 
pieces  of  cannon,  1900  rounds  of  powder,  and  other 
military  stores,  Dec.  10.  James  Smithson  bequeaths 
100,000  pounds  sterling  to  the  United  States  to  found 
an  “Institution  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  among 
men.55  First  passage  through  the  whole  length  of 
the  Boston  and  Providence  Railroad,  made  June  2d. 
Dispute  between  Ohio  and  Michigan,  respecting  the 
boundary  line.  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad  com- 
pleted and  opened,  June  27.  Baltimore  and  Wash- 
ington Railroad  completed  and  opened  for  passengers, 
Aug.  25.  The  construction  of  the  New  York  and 
Erie  Railroad  commenced,  Nov.  7.  A tremendous 
fire  broke  out  in  New  York,  at  9 o’clock  in  the 
evening  of  Dec.  16,  and  burned  till  1 o’clock  the 
next  day.  It  swept  over  between  30  and  40  acres 
of  ground,  covered  with  the  most  valuable  stores, 
filled  with  rich  merchandise,  in  the  seat  of  the 
greatest  commercial  transactions  in  the  city.  The 
loss,  according  to  the  report  of  a committee,  was  as- 
certained to  be  17,115,692  dollars  ; the  merchandise 
was  estimated  at  13,115,692  dollars  ; the  number  of 
buildings  burned  was  529,  valued  at  4,000,000  dol- 


252  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

lars.  The  Merchants’  Exchange  building,  and  the 
South  Dutch  church,  were  burned.  The  great  re- 
sources of  New  York  enabled  its  citizens  to  sustain 
this  immense  loss  with  little  interruption  to  business, 
and  few  failures  ; though  its  effects  were  felt  in  after 
years.  The  city  was  immediately  rebuilt,  with  ad- 
ditional convenience  and  beauty.  Thomas  McCrie 
died,  at  Edinburg,  Aug.  5,  aged  63.  John  Brinkley 
died,  at  Dublin,  Sept.  14,  aged  72.  David  Hosack 
died,  at  New  York,  Dec.  22,  aged  66. 

1836*  Duke  of  Broglie  as  prime  minister  of  France,  suc- 
ceeded by  M.  Thiers,  Feb.  22.  Railroad  between 
Brussels  and  Antwerp  opened,  May  3.  The  coro- 
nation of  Ferdinand,  emperor  of  Austria,  took  place 
at  Prague,  Sept.  7.  A revolution  at  Lisbon  obliged 
the  queen  of  Portugal  to  make  oath  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  1820.  Carlist  army  of  14,000  men  defeated 
by  the  army  of  the  queen  of  Spain,  with  a total  loss 
in  killed  and  prisoners  of  1,274  persons,  Sept.  21. 
Prince  Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  son  of  the  late 
king  of  Holland,  attempted  a revolution  at  Strasburg, 
and  was  defeated  and  arrested,  Sept.  29.  A charter 
granted  by  the  king  of  England  to  the  London  Uni- 
versity, Dec.  1.  The  queen  of  Portugal  abolished 
the  slave  trade  in  her  dominions,  Dec.  10.  Attempt 
on  the  life  of  the  French  king;  assassins  arrested, 
Dec.  27.  The  “ Methodist  Book  Concern”  burned 
in  New  York  ; loss  about  $250,000,  Feb.  29.  Near 
the  banks  of  San  Jacinto,  in  Texas,  a victory  was 
gained  over  the  Mexicans  by  the  Texans  under  Gen. 
Houston,  in  which  the  Mexicans  had  1500  men,  and 
the  Texans  783.  The  Mexican  loss  was  630  killed, 
208  wounded,  and  730  prisoners.  Among  the  pris- 
oners were  Gen.  Santa  Anna,  president  of  Mexico, 
and  Gen.  Cos.  The  Texan  loss  was  2 killed,  and 
23  wounded,  6 mortally,  April  21.  The  forbearance 
of  the  Texans  saved  the  life  of  Santa  Anna,  who 
was  afterwards  released.  Gen.  Jessup  announced 
to  the  adjutant-general  of  the  U.  S.  army  the  termi. 
nation  of  the  war  with  the  Creek  Indians,  July  4. 
A meteoric  stone  fell  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  July  28. 
The  Utica  and  Schenectady  Railroad  opened,  Aug.  1. 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


253 


The  New  York  Bowery  Theatre  burned  ; loss  esti- 
mated at  75,000  dollars,  Sept.  22.  United  States 
General  Post  Office  and  Patent  Office  burned  ; the 
latter  containing  7000  models  and  9000  drawings  of 
machines,  patented,  Dec.  15.  Edward  Livingston, 
died  at  Rhinebeck,  N.  Y.,  May  23d,  in  his  72d  year. 
James  Madison,  4th  president  of  the  United  States, 
died  at  Montpelier,  Orange  county,  Va.,  June  28th, 
in  his  86th  year.  John  Prince  died  at  Salem,  June 
7th,  in  his  85th  year.  William  White,  bishop  of 
the  Episcopal  church  of  Pennsylvania,  died  at  Phila- 
delphia, in  his  89th  year.  Aaron  Burr,  late  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States,  died  at  Staten  Island, 
N.  Y.,  Sept.  14,  in  his  81st  year.  Asa  Messer,  late 
president  of  Brown  University,  died  at  Providence, 
R.  I.,  in  his  68th  year. 

1837.  Michigan  admitted  to  the  Union,  Jan.  26.  The 
royal  palace  at  Naples  burned,  with  its  library,  and 
magnificent  collection  of  paintings,  Feb.  7.  The 
English  and  Spanish  troops  defeated  by  the  Carlists, 
with  a total  loss  of  about  1,000  men,  March  15. 
Munier,  who  attempted  the  life  of  the  French  king, 
was  banished,  and  an  amnesty  granted  by  the  king 
to  a large  number  of  political  offenders  who  had 
been  imprisoned,  April  26,  A new  constitution 
proclaimed  in  Madrid,  and  signed  by  the  cortes  and 
the  queen,  June  16.  William  IV.,  king  of  Eng- 
land, died,  June  20th,  and  is  succeeded  on  the  21st 
by  Queen  Victoria.  Railroad  from  Manchester  to 
Liverpool  opened,  July  4.  Espartero  appointed 
president  of  the  council,  in  Spain,  Aug.  18.  Queen’s 
troops  in  Spain  defeated  by  Don  Carlos  near  Herrera, 
with  the  loss  of  about  1000  men,  Aug.  24.  British 
association  for  the  promotion  of  science  met  at  Liv- 
erpool, Sept.  11.  Roman  Catholic  archbishop  of 
Cologne  deprived  of  his  episcopal  jurisdiction  for 
refusing  to  sanction  the  marriages  between  Catholics 
and  Protestants,  unless  it  was  agreed  that  the  chil- 
dren should  be  brought  up  in  the  religion  of  the 
former,  Nov.  15.  St.  Charles,  in  Canada,  taken 
from  the  insurgents  by  the  regular  British  troops, 
with  a loss  on  the  part  of  the  Canadians  of  200 
22 


254  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D« 

killed,  over  300  wounded,  and  30  prisoners,  Nov. 
25.  Martial  law  proclaimed  by  the  governor  of 
Canada  in  the  district  of  Montreal,  Dec.  5 ; and  a 
reward  of  1000  pounds  sterling  offered  for  J.  L. 
Papineau,  speaker  of  the  house  of  assembly,  Dec.  5. 
The  imperial  palace  at  St.  Petersburg,  the  largest 
royal  residence  in  Europe,  which  cost  over  5,000,000 
dollars,  burned,  Dec.  29.  The  American  steamboat 
Caroline,  lying  at  Schlosser,  in  Niagara  river,  was 
set  on  fire  by  the  Canadians,  and  sent  over  the  falls, 
Dec.  30,  which  caused  serious  disturbance  between 
the  American  and  British  governments.  Abiel 
Holmes  died  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  June  4,  in  his 
74th  year.  Nathaniel  Macon  died,  at  Warren  co., 
N.  C.,  June  29,  aged  79.  Edward  D.  Griffin,  late 
president  of  Williams  College,  Mass.,  died  at  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  Nov.  8,  in  his  68th  year. 

1838.  Royal  Exchange  of  London,  opened  in  1669,  and  then 
cost  58,962  pounds  sterling,  was  burned,  and  many 
valuable  papers  destroyed,  Jan.  10.  All  the  ports  in 
Mexico  declared  in  a state  of  blockade  by  the 
French,  April  16.  Gen.  Espartero  routed  the 
Carlists  in  Spain,  taking  about  2,000  prisoners, 
and  considerable  artillery  and  baggage,  April  26. 
Great  Western  and  Syrius,  steam-packets  from 
England,  arrived  at  New  York,  April  23.  Great 
Western,  on  her  second  passage  from  Bristol  to  New 
York,  arrived  in  14J  days,  June  17.  Coronation  of 
Queen  Victoria  celebrated  with  great  splendor  in 
London,  June  28.  Entire  emancipation  of  the  negro 
apprentices  took  place  in  Jamaica  and  other  West 
India  islands,  Aug.  1.  Peace  concluded  between 
Russia  and  Turkey,  July  8.  The  pope  forbade  in- 
fant schools  in  the  papal  states,  Aug.  10.  Queen 
of  Spain’s  troops  defeated  at  Morelia  by  the  Carlists ; 
loss  of  the  former  91  officers  killed,  and  2000  men 
killed  and  wounded,  Aug.  19.  Coronation  of  the 
emperor  of  Austria,  as  king  of  Venetian  Lombardy, 
celebrated  with  great  splendor  at  Milan,  Sept.  6. 
Railway  from  London  to  Birmingham  opened,  Sept. 
16  ; whole  distance  performed  in  4 hours  and  58 
minutes.  The  troops  of  the  queen  of  Spain  defeated 


A-  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


255 


at  Mealla,  with  a loss  of  3000  men,  which  gave  the 
Carlists  the  command  of  Lower  Arragon,  Oct.  1. 
Lord  Durham  relinquishes  the  government  of  Cana- 
da, and  is  succeeded  by  Sir  John  Colborne,  Nov.  1. 
The  latter  proclaimed  martial  law  in  the  district  of 
Montreal,  Nov.  4.  President  Van  Buren,  by  procla- 
mation, warned  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  not 
to  engage  in  the  Canadian  rebellion,  Jan.  5.  Peace 
between  France  and  the  Republic  of  Hayti,  by  the 
payment  by  the  latter  of  60,000,000  francs,  in  in- 
stalments, from  1838  to  1863,  Feb.  1.  Fatal  duel 
at  Bladensburg,  between  Jonathan  Cilly,  of  Maine, 
and  William  C.  Graves,  of  Ky.,  members  of  con- 
gress, in  which  the  former  was  killed,  and  the  latter 
soon  after  expelled  from  the  house  of  represent- 
atives, Feb.  24.  A convention  of  143  bank  dele- 
gates from  18  states,  assembled  at  New  York  to 
consider  the  resumption  of  specie  payments,  April 
11.  A meteoric  shower  in  the  evening,  at  Knoxville, 
Ky.,  April  20.  The  U.  S.  exploring  expedition, 
Charles  Wilkes  commander-in-chief,  sailed  from 
Hampton  Roads,  Aug.  19.  The  Mormons  routed, 
and  driven  from  Missouri  by  the  militia,  under  Gen. 
Atchinson,  Oct.  28.  Riotous  proceedings  at  the  or- 
ganization of  the  legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  on 
which  occasion  the  militia  were  called  out,  Dec.  4. 
John  Jamieson  died  at  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  July  12, 
aged  80.  Zachary  Macaulay  died  in  London,  May 
13,  aged  70.  Letitia  Elizabeth  McLean,  (formerly 
Miss  Landon,)  died  at  Cape  Coast  Castle,  by  incau- 
tiously taking  an  over-dose  of  prussic  acid,  Oct.  15. 
Nathaniel  Bowditch,  president  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  died  at  Boston,  March 
16,  aged  65.  James  Gould  died  at  Litchfield,  Ct., 
May  11,  in  his  68th  year.  John  Rogers,  senior 
commander  in  the  American  navy,  died  at  Phila- 
delphia, Aug.  1,  in  the  naval  asylum. 

1839.  Treaty  of  peace  concluded  at  Vera  Cruz  between 
France  and  Mexico,  March  9.  Commissioner  Lin 
issued  at  Canton  a proclamation  against  the  opium 
trade,  March  18.  Chartists  in  England  produce 
riots  at  Devizes  and  other  places,  April  1.  Defini- 


256  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

tive  treaty  between  Belgium  and  Holland,  with  the 
consent  of  the  five  powers,  concluded,  April  19* 
Serious  riot  at  Birmingham,  England,  at  a great 
meeting  of  the  Chartists,  July  5,  followed  by  similar 
riots  at  the  same  place,  July  15,  causing  great  con- 
fusion and  alarm.  The  five  great  powers  of  Eng- 
land, France,  Russia,  Prussia,  and  Austria,  notify 
the  Turkish  Sultan  at  Constantinople,  that  they  had 
undertaken  to  put  an  end  to  the  war  between  Egypt 
and  Turkey,  July  28.  Don  Carlos  abandoned  Spain 
with  his  family,  and  several  of  his  generals,  and  his 
army  laid  down  their  arms.  Maroto,  one  of  the 
Carlist  generals,  having  entered  into  a treaty  with 
Espartero,  the  war  in  the  Peninsula  was  closed, 
Sept.  14.  Riot  of  the  Chartists,  at  Newport,  Eng- 
land, in  which  10,000  men,  from  the  mines  and  col- 
lieries in  the  neighborhood,  were  defeated,  and  John 
Frost,  their  leader,  taken  prisoner,  Nov.  4.  Pope 
Gregory  XVI.  issues  his  bull  against  the  slave  trade, 
Dec.  3.  Herbert  Marsh  died  at  Peterborough,  Eng- 
land, May  1.  Lord  William  Bentick  died  at  Paris, 
June  17,  aged  68.  Lady  Hester  Stanhope,  the 
eccentric  niece  of  William  Pitt,  died  in  Syria,  June 
23,  aged  64.  Mahmoud  II.,  sultan  of  Turkey,  died 
at  Constantinople,  July  1,  in  his  54th  year.  Timo- 
thy Alden,  first  president  of  Meadville  College,  Pa., 
died  at  Pittsburg,  July  5,  aged  68.  Aaron  Bancroft 
died  at  Worcester,  Aug.  19,  aged  84.  Nathaniel 
Bowen,  bishop  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  South 
Carolina,  died  at  Charleston,  Aug.  25,  in  his  61st 
year.  Zerah  Colburn,  the  celebrated  mathematical 
boy,  who  lost  his  powers  of  calculation  in  mature 
life,  died  at  Norwich,  Vt.,  March  2d,  in  his  35th 
year.  Thomas  Cooper,  late  president  of  South 
Carolina  College,  died  at  Columbia,  S.  C.,  May  11, 
in  his  80th  year.  Wilbur  Fisk,  president  of  the 
Wesleyan  University,  died  at  Middletown,  Ct.,  Feb. 
22,  aged  46.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  known  as 
the  Patroon,  died  at  Albany,  Jan.  26th,  in  his  75th 
year.  William  Sullivan  died  at  Boston,  Mass.,  Sept. 
3d,  aged  64.  Matthew  Carey  died  at  Philadelphia, 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


257 


Sept.  17,  in  his  80th  year.  William  Dunlap  died  at 
New  York,  Sept.  28,  aged  74. 

1840.  The  marriage  of  Queen  Victoria,  of  England,  to 
Prince  Albert,  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,  solemnized  at 
the  royal  chapel  of  St.  James,  with  great  rejoicing 
in  England,  Feb.  10.  The  French  chamber  of 
deputies  refused  to  discuss  the  bill  providing  a pro- 
posed marriage  portion  for  the  duke  de  Nemours, 
upon  which  the  ministers  resigned,  Feb.  20.  A 
new  French  ministry  formed,  with  M.  Theirs  at  the 
head,  March  1.  The  British  government  demanded 
reparation  of  the  Chinese,  and  ordered  that  the  ves- 
sels of  the  emperor  and  of  his  subjects  be  held  in 
custody  until  it  was  made,  April  3.  Frederick 
William  III.,  king  of  Prussia,  died,  June  7,  in  the 
70th  year  of  his  age,  and  the  43d  of  his  reign. 
Two  pistols  fired  at  Queen  Victoria  and  Prince 
Albert,  while  taking  an  airing  in  the  royal  gardens, 
by  an  insane  young  man  of  the  name  of  Oxford, 
June  10.  The  steam  packet  ship  Britannia,  the 
first  of  Samuel  Cunard’s  line,  arrived  at  Boston  in 
14  days  8 hours  from  Liverpool,  July  18.  The  bill 
uniting  the  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada, 
passed  both  houses  of  the  British  parliament  and 
received  the  royal  assent,  July  23.  The  steamship 
Acadia  arrived  at  Boston  from  Liverpool  in  12  days 
18  hours,  the  shortest  passage  then  made,  Aug.  17. 
Blockade  of  the  river  and  port  of  Canton,  China,  by 
the  English,  July  2.  City  and  island  of  Chusan, 
belonging  to  China,  captured  by  the  British  after  a 
slight  resistance,  Aug.  5.  Prince  Louis  Napoleon, 
son  of  the  late  king  of  Holland,  made  a rash  attempt 
upon  the  coast  of  France,  and  was  taken  prisoner 
and  confined  in  the  castle  of  Ham,  Aug.  6.  The 
town  of  Beyrout  burned,  and  taken  by  the  English 
and  Austrian  fleet,  Sept.  11.  The  Talavera,  a ship 
of  72  guns,  and  the  Imogene,  a frigate  of  28  guns, 
burned  in  the  dockyard  at  Plymouth,  England,  Sept. 
28,  William  I.,  king  of  the  Netherlands,  volunta- 
rily abdicated  his  throne,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  William  II.,  Oct.  7.  He  retired  with  an  im- 
mense fortune,  to  marry  the  Countess  d’Oultrimont, 
22* 


CHRONOLOGY 


258 

A.  I 

a Roman  Catholic  lady,  whom  he  could  not  have 
married  as  Protestant  king  of  Holland.  The  army 
of  Ibrahim  Pacha  and  Solyman  Pacha  defeated  near 
Bey  rout,  in  Syria,  by  the  Turkish  and  allied  troops, 
wdth  a loss  to  the  former  of  7000  killed,  wounded, 
and  prisoners,  Oct.  10.  The  Queen-mother  Christi- 
na, regent  of  Spain,  resigned,  abdicated,  and  retired 
to  France,  Oct.  12.  The  steamship  Acadia  arrived 
at  Boston  from  Liverpool  after  the  shortest  passage 
yet  made,  of  12  days  12  hours,  Oct.  17.  Napoleon 
Bonaparte  exhumed  at  St.  Helena,  Oct.  18,  and  his 
remains  brought  to  Paris  and  interred  with  great 
pomp,  Dec.  15.  Thiers,  as  head  of  the  French 
ministry,  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Marshal 
Soult  and  Guizot,  at  the  head  of  a new  ministry, 
Oct.  21.  The  strong  fortress  of  St.  Jean  d’Acre, 
the  principal  stronghold  of  Mehemet  Ali  in  Syria, 
taken  by  storm  by  the  allied  fleet  of  the  English, 
Turks,  and  Austrians ; the  magazine,  containing 
500  barrels  of  powder,  was  blown  up,  burying 
nearly  2000  soldiers  in  its  ruins.  Upwards  of  2000 
men  were  killed,  more  than  3000  taken  prisoners, 
and  many  wounded,  Nov.  3.  Of  the  allied  fleet 
only  23  were  killed  and  50  wounded.  A commercial 
treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  Texas  signed  at 
London,  Nov.  14.  An  action  at  Kotriah,  in  Sinde, 
between  4000  Beloochees,  and  900  Sepoys,  with  2 
field-pieces,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Marshall ; 500  of  the 
former  were  slain,  and  6 chiefs,  with  132  followers 
taken  prisoners,  Dec.  1.  Several  of  the  men  of  the 
exploring  expedition  having  been  killed  at  Malolo, 
in  the  Fejee  Islands,  Lieut.  Wilkes  attacked  the 
town  and  fort,  which  were  burned  ; the  plantations 
were  laid  waste,  and  70  natives  killed,  July  25. 
The  remains  of  Gen.  Hugh  Mercer,  mortally 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Prince L-on,  disinterred,  and 
re-interred  at  the  Laurel  Hill  cemetery,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Nov.  24.  John  Frederick  Blumenbach 
died,  at  Gottingen,  Jan.  22,  aged  88  years.  Henry 
William  Matthew  Gibers,  the  celebrated  astronomer, 
died  at  Bremen,  March  2,  in  his  81st  year.  Lucien 
Bonaparte,  brother  of  Napoleon,  died  at  Viterbo,  in 


OP  THE  WORLD. 


259 


Italy,  June  27,  aged  66.  John  Thornton  Kirkland, 
late  president  of  Harvard  University,  died  at  Boston, 
April  26,  in  his  70th  year.  John  Lowell  died  at 
Boston,  March  12th,  in  his  71st  year.  Rev.  Benja- 
min Wooster,  died  at  Fairfield,  Vt.,  March  19,  aged 
77.  He  commanded  a volunteer  company  of  his 
parishioners  at  the  siege  of  Plattsburg,  and  received 
from  Gov.  Tompkins,  of  N.  Y.,  the  present  of  a 
large  pulpit  Bible,  with  a complimentary  letter. 

1841.  Provisional  arrangement  made  between  England  and 
China,  in  which  the  Chinese  cede  the  island  and 
harbor  of  Hong  Kong  to  the  British  crown  ; an  in- 
demnity of  6,000,000  dollars — 1,000,000  payable 
at  once,  and  the  remainder  in  equal  annual  instal- 
ments, ending  in  1846  ; direct  official  intercourse 
between  the  two  countries  upon  an  equal  footing ; 
the  trade  of  the  port  of  Canton  to  be  opened  within 
ten  days  after  the  Chinese  new  year  begins,  and  to 
be  carried  on  at  Whampoa  until  further  arrange- 
ments are  made,  Jan.  20.  Alexander  McLeod,  of 
Upper  Canada,  was  arrested  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  for  being  engaged  in  burning  the  steamboat 
Caroline,  at  Schlosser,  and  imprisoned,  Jan.  27. 
Marriage  of  the  count  of  Nassau,  (ex-king  of  the 
Netherlands,)  to  the  Countess  d’Oultremont,  cele- 
brated at  Berlin,  Feb.  9.  Under  the  act  for  uniting 
the  provinces  of  Canada,  Lord  Sydenham,  governor- 
general  of  British  North  America,  took  the  oath  of 
office,  Feb.  10.  Foreign  trade  of  Canton  suspended, 
and  hostilities  were  renewed  between  the  English 
and  the  Chinese.  Canton  attacked,  and  after  a 
severe  action,  capitulated  ; the  Chinese  agreeing  to 
pay  6,000,000  dollars  in  one  week  to  ransom  the 
city  ; and  the  Chinese  troops,  excepting  those  of  the 
province,  to  be  within  6 days  withdrawn  60  miles 
into  the  interior  ; and  that  all  losses  sustained  by  a 
partial  destruction  of  the  factories  should  be  paid, 
May  21.  The  sum  stipulated  was  actually  paid. 
Pacification  of  the  East  by  an  arrangement  between 
the  sultan  of  Turkey,  the  pacha  of  Egypt,  and  the 
five  confederated  powers,  signed  in  London,  July  13. 
Lord  Melbourne  and  his  colleagues  resigned  as 


260 


CHRONOLOGY 


ministers  in  England,  and  Sir  Robert  Peel  appointed 
first  lord  of  the  treasury,  Aug.  30.  William  Henry 
Harrison  inaugurated  as  president,  and  John  Tyler 
as  vice-president,  of  the  United  States,  March  4. 
The  English  steam-packet  President,  with  109  per- 
sons, crew  and  passengers,  sailed  from  New  York, 
and  has  never  been  heard  from ; probably  lost, 
March  11.  President  Harrison  died  one  month 
after  his  inauguration,  and  John  Tyler,  vice-presi- 
dent, succeeded  as  president,  April  4.  The  25th 
anniversary  of  the  American  Bible  society  celebrated 
in  New  York  ; the  receipts  for  the  last  year  were 
118,860  dollars,  May  13.  President  Tyler  pro- 
claimed a day  of  fasting  and  prayer  in  consequence 
of  the  death  of  William  Henry  Harrison,  which 
was  observed,  May  14.  An  extra  session  of  con- 
gress commenced,  May  31.  The  steam  packet 
Columbia  arrived  at  Boston  from  Liverpool,  after 
the  short  passage  of  12  days  8 hours,  June  16. 
Bill  to  distribute  among  the  several  states  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sales  of  the  public  lands,  passed  the 
house  of  representatives  by  a vote  of  116  to  108, 
July  6.  The  supreme  court  of  the  state  of  New 
York  refused  to  discharge  Alexander  McLeod  from 
prison,  and  ordered  that  he  be  remanded  to  take  his 
trial  according  to  law,  July  12.  The  bill  to  estab- 
lish a fiscal  bank,  passed  by  congress,  Aug.  6,  re- 
ceived the  veto  of  President  Tyler,  Aug.  16.  The 
bankrupt  law,  to  go  into  operation  Feb.  1,  1842, 
passed  both  houses  of  congress,  Aug.  18.  The 
jury  by  which  Alexander  McLeod  was  tried  for 
burning  the  steamboat  Caroline,  after  an  absence  of 
30  minutes,  returned  a verdict  of  not  guilty,  Oct. 
18.  Edward  Nares,  professor  of  history  in  Oxford 
University,  died  at  Beddenden,  in  Kent,  England, 
Aug.  20,  aged  79.  Sir  Francis  Chantrey,  the  cele- 
brated sculptor,  died  in  London,  Nov.  25,  aged  60. 
Jasper  Adams,  late  president  of  Charleston  College, 
died  at  Pendleton,  S.  C.,  Oct.  25.  James  Aber- 
crombie, the  oldest  Episcopal  clergyman  in  Phila- 
delphia, died  in  that  city,  June  26,  in  his  84th  year. 
Philip  P.  Barbour,  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  the 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD 


261 

United  States,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Feb.  25, 
aged  about  60.  John  Breckenridge  died  in  Ken- 
tucky, Aug.  4.  Nicholas  Brown,  the  liberal  bene- 
factor of  Brown  University,  named  from  him,  died 
at  Providence,  Sept.  27,  aged  73.  John  Forsyth, 
late  secretary  of  state  of  the  United  States,  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  Oct.  22,  aged  61.  Maj.  Gen. 
Alexander  Macomb,  commander-in-chief  of  the  U. 
S.  army,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  25,  aged 
59.  Ezra  Ripley,  the  oldest  clergyman  in  Mass., 
died  at  Concord,  Sept.  21,  in  his  91st  year.  Thomas 
L.  Winthrop,  president  of  the  Mass,  historical  socie- 
ty, died  at  Boston,  Feb.  22,  aged  81. 

1842.  An  insurrection  in  Affghanistan,  in  which  the  British 
envoy,  Sir  W.  MacNaghten,  and  6000  British 
troops  were  massacred,  Jan.  5.  The  income  tax, 
proposed  in  England  by  Sir  Robert  Peel,  March  11. 
Great  fire  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  in  which  2000 
houses,  embracing  the  finest  part  of  the  city,  were 
destroyed,  and  property  to  the  amount  of  six  millions 
sterling,  May  5,  6,  7.  The  queen  of  England  shot 
at,  in  a carriage  with  Prince  Albert,  by  a young 
man  named  John  Francis,  May  30.  Another  at- 
tempt on  the  life  of  the  queen  of  England,  by  a 
youth  named  Bean,  July  3.  Serious  disturbance  in 
the  manufacturing  districts  in  England,  suppressed 
by  the  military,  killing  20  persons,  and  wounding 
many  others,  Aug.  10.  Treaty  between  England 
and  the  United  States  respecting  the  N.  E.  boundary 
of  the  United  States,  happily  concluded  between 
Lord  Ashburton  and  the  Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  at 
Washington,  Aug.  20.  A great  fire  in  Columbia, 
S.  C.,  destroying  29  buildings  ; loss  estimated  at 
150,000  dollars,  April  12.  A great  disturbance  at 
Providence,  in  which  the  suffrage  party  attempted  to 
put  down  the  charter  of  the  state,  and  the  govern- 
ment established  under  it.  A new  governor,  senate, 
and  house  of  representatives  had  been  informally 
chosen  in  their  primary  assemblies.  A body  of 
armed  men  attempted  to  obtain  possession  of  the 
arsenal,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  military  under 
Gov.  Samuel  W.  King ; and  Mr.  Dorr,  the  new 


262  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

governor,  fled,  May  18.  The  United  States  sloop 
of  war  Vincennes,  Charles  Wilkes,  Esq.,  com- 
mander, of  the  exploring  squadron,  returned  to  New 
York,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  four  years,  June 
11.  Another  disturbance  in  Rhode  Island,  between 
the  charter  and  the  suffrage  parties.  The  ad- 
herents of  Thomas  W.  Dorr,  about  700  in  number, 
took  possession  of  a hill  in  Chepachet,  with  5 pieces 
of  cannon.  Martial  law  was  proclaimed  throughout 
the  state,  and  about  3000  militia  were  ordered  out 
to  support  the  government.  A great  part  of  the 
insurgents  left  the  camp,  and  the  hill  was  taken 
without  bloodshed.  Throughout  the  disturbances, 
only  one  man  was  killed,  June  28.  The  steamer 
Columbia  arrived  at  Boston,  from  Liverpool,  in  the 
short  passage  of  11  days  6 hours,  June  28.  The 
Croton  water  in  N.  Y.  city,  was  introduced  into  the 
receiving  reservoir,  covering  35  acres,  in  40th 
street,  July  4 ; but  it  was  not  distributed  in  pipes 
over  the  city  until  the  14th  of  Oct.  following. 
From  the  dam  in  Croton  river,  5 miles  from  Hudson 
river,  to  the  receiving  reservoir,  its  length  is  38 
miles,  conveyed  in  a covered  aqueduct.  The  whole 
cost  will  be  about  12,000.000  dollars ; and  the 
minimum  discharge  of  water  at  the  dam  in  the 
driest  time,  is  computed  to  be  27  millions  of  gallons 
every  24  hours,  which  would  be  sufficient  for  a pop- 
ulation of  a million  and  a half  of  inhabitants,  or 
nearly  five  times  the  present  population  of  the  city 
of  New  York.  When  the  river  is  full,  it  would 
discharge  about  60  millions  of  gallons  every  24 
hours.  Bunker  Hill  monument,  220  feet  high,  was 
finished,  having  been  begun  17  years  since ; during 
half  of  which  time  the  work  had  been  suspended, 
July  23.  The  tariff  law,  passed  by  both  houses  of 
congress,  was  returned  to  the  representatives  with 
the  veto  of  President  Tyler,  Aug.  9.  An  official 
announcement  of  the  conclusion  of  the  Florida  war, 
Aug.  14.  Brigadier-general  Henry  Atkinson,  of 
the  U.  S.  army,  died  at  Jefferson  barracks,  near  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  June  20,  aged  about  60.  James  Bar- 
bour died  in  Orange  county,  Va.,  aged  66.  Benja- 


D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


263 


min  Bussey  died  at  Roxbury,  Mass.,  Jan.  13,  be- 
queathing his  property,  estimated  at  350,000  dollars, 
to  his  widow  and  two  other  persons  during  their  life, 
and  afterwards,  one  half  to  Harvard  University,  to 
found  an  agricultural  school  on  Bussey’s  farm,  in 
Roxbury  ; the  other  half  to  the  divinity  and  law 
schools  in  the  university.  Amos  Eaton  died  in 
Troy,  New  York,  May,  aged  66.  Calvin  Goddard 
died  at  Norwich,  Ct.,  aged  73.  Thaddeus  Mason 
Harris  died  at  Boston,  April  3,  aged  73.  Lyman 
Law  died  at  New  London,  Ct.,  Feb.  3,  aged  71. 
James  Marsh,  professor,  and  late  president  of  the 
university  of  Vermont,  died  at  Burlington,  Vt., 
July  3,  aged  47.  Daniel  Oliver,  a distinguished 
medical  professor,  died  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  June 
1,  in  his  55th  year.  Elijah  Paine,  U.  S.  district 
judge,  died  at  Williamtown,  Vt.,  April  21,  aged  85. 
Samuel  L.  Southard,  died  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
June  26,  aged  55.  William  Ellery  Channing,  died 
at  Bennington,  Vt.,  Oct.  2,  aged  62.  John  Dubois, 
Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  New  York,  died,  Dec.  20, 
aged  78. 

1843.  A battle  was  fought  in  British  India,  between  2,800 
British  troops,  under  Sir  Charles  Napier,  and  22,000 
Beloochees,  in  which  the  latter  were  defeated,  with  a 
loss  of  5,000  men,  Feb.  17.  Lord  George  Paulet, 
commanding  the  British  frigate  Cary  sport,  compelled 
a cession  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  the  English 
government,  which  was  done  under  a protest,  Feb. 
25.  The  queen  of  England  gave  birth  to  her  third 
child,  April  25.  The  insurgent  party  in  Spain  en- 
tered Madrid  in  triumph,  and  appointed  a provisional 
guardian  to  the  queen,  July  26.  The  Sandwich 
Islands,  compelled  by  Lord  G.  Paulet  to  be  ceded 
to  the  British  government,  were  ceded  back  to  the 
native  prince,  July  31.  A revolution  in  Greece 
compelled  King  Otho  to  dismiss  his  ministers,  and 
accept  a constitutional  form  of  government,  Sept.  15. 
A check  given  to  “ Irish  agitation,”  by  the  arrest  of 
Mr.  Daniel  O’Connel  and  his  son,  on  a charge  of 
conspiracy,  and  other  misdemeanors,  Oct.  14.  They 
were  held  to  bail  in  the  sum  of  2000  pounds  sterling. 


CHRONOLOGY 


264 

a.  r 

A French  squadron  under  x\dmiral  Du  Petit  Thours, 
took  possession,  by  force,  of  the  Society  Islands,  de- 
posing the  native  Queen  Pomare,  which  was  after- 
wards disavowed  by  the  French  government,  Nov.  9. 
A great  slide  of  earth  took  place  from  mount  Ida, 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  which  killed  18  persons,  and  wounded 
many  others,  Feb.  17.  A great  fire  took  place  at 
Newbern,  N.  C.,  in  which  over  100  buildings  were 
destroyed,  April  18.  A large  part  of  the  town  of 
Wilmington,  N.  C.,  burned  ; about  200  buildings 
destroyed,  April  30.  In  Tallahasse,  Florida,  250 
buildings,  being  a great  part  of  this  infant  city,  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  May  25.  The  completion  of  the 
Bunker  Hill  monument  celebrated  at  Boston,  by  over 
50,000  persons  ; an  oration  by  Hon.  Daniel  Webster, 
on  the  anniversary  of  the  battle,  June  17.  A dis- 
astrous fire  at  Fall  River,  Mass.,  destroying  about 
200  buildings  in  the  heart  of  the  village.  Robert 
Adrain,  a distinguished  mathematician,  died  at  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  Aug.  10,  aged  68.  Washington 
Alston  died  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  July  9,  in  his  64th 
year.  Alden  Bradford  died  in  Boston,  Oct.  26,  aged 
78.  Ferdinand  Rudolph  Hassler,  of  the  United 
States  coast  survey,  died  at  Philadelphia,  Nov.  20, 
aged  74.  Edward  P.  Livingston  died  at  Cleremont, 
N.  Y.,  Nov.  3,  aged  63.  Smith  Thompson,  judge 
of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  died  at 
Poughkeepsie,  Dec.  18,  aged  76.  John  Trumbull, 
the  celebrated  painter,  died  at  N.  Y.,  Nov.  10,  aged 
87.  Commodore  Isaac  Hull  died  at  Philadelphia, 
Feb.  13,  aged  68.  Noah  Webster  died  at  New 
Haven,  Ct.,  May  28,  in  his  85th  year. 

1844.  Daniel  O’Connel  and  a few  others,  indicted  for  con- 
spiracy, were  found  guilty,  Feb.  12.  A destructive 
fire  at  Manchester,  England,  destroying  a block  of 
warehouses,  at  an  estimated  loss  of  over  100,000 
pounds  sterling,  March  30.  Queen  Victoria  gives 
birth  to  her  fourth  child,  a son,  Aug.  6.  Tangier, 
in  Morocco,  bombarded  by  a French  squadron,  un- 
der the  Prince  de  Joinville,  and  the  fortifications 
completely  destroyed,  Aug.  6.  Mogadore,  a town 
on  the  sea  coast  of  Morocco,  bombarded  by  the 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


265 


French  squadron  under  the  Prince  de  Joitiville ; the 
fortifications  ruined,  and  the  town  set  on  fire.  A 
few  days  before,  a battle  was  fought  between  the 
French  under  Gen.  Bugeaud,  and  the  Moors,  in 
which  the  latter  were  defeated  with  a loss  of  800 
men,  Aug.  15.  By  a decision  of  the  house  of  lords, 
judgment  was  given  reversing  the  decision  of  the 
court,  and  O’Connel  and  his  associates  set  at  liberty, 
Sept.  4.  Peace  was  concluded  between  France  and 
Morocco,  in  which  all  the  demands  of  the  former 
were  granted,  Sept.  10.  A terrible  accident  occur- 
red on  board  the  U.  S.  steamer  Princeton,  Capt. 
Stockton,  on  the  Potomac,  with  a large  party  of  dis- 
tinguished persons  on  board.  The  large  gun  of 
wrought  iron  having  been  discharged  the  third  time, 
exploded,  and  killed  instantly  Mr.  Upshur,  secretary 
of  state,  Mr.  Gilmer,  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
Commodore  Kennon,  chief  of  one  of  the  naval 
bureaus,  Virgil  Maxcy,  late  Charge  d’ Affaires  to  the 
Hague,  Hon.  David  Gardiner,  of  New  York,  and 
two  or  three  domestics,  besides  wounding  ten  or 
twelve  of  the  crew.  The  president,  and  other  mem- 
bers of  the  cabinet,  and  many  ladies  on  board, 
escaped  unhurt,  Feb.  28.  A tax  bill  passed  by  the 
legislature  of  Pennsylvania  and  signed  by  the  gov- 
ernor, sufficient  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  debt  of  the 
state,  and  to  restore  its  credit,  became  a law,  April 
29.  Fearful  riots  took  place  in  Philadelphia,  origi- 
nating in  a controversy  between  the  Native  Ameri- 
cans and  the  Irish.  Three  churches  and  30  dwell- 
ing-houses were  burned,  and  14  persons  were  killed 
and  about  40  wounded.  The  riots  were  put  down 
by  the  military,  May  6-8.  A fire  in  New  Orleans, 
destroying  200  buildings,  and  property  to  the  amount 
of  250,000  dollars,  May  18.  Joe  Smith,  the  Mor- 
mon prophet,  and  Hiram  his  brother,  confined  in 
jail  at  Carthage,  111.,  were  murdered  by  a mob  of 
100  persons  in  disguise,  June  27.  A renewal  of  the 
riots  in  Philadelphia,  attended  with  great  excitement 
and  loss  of  life.  A battle  was  fought  between  the 
mob  and  the  military,  in  which  muskets  and  artillery 
were  used  on  both  sides,  and  40  or  50  persons  were 
23 


266  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

killed  or  wounded.  The  governor  of  the  state  called 
out  5000  militia  and  quelled  the  disturbance,  July 
7.  Henry  Baldwin,  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of 
the  U.  S.,  died  at  Philadelphia,  April  21,  aged  65. 
Nicholas  Biddle  died  near  Philadelphia,  Feb.  27, 
aged  58.  Abraham  Bishop  died  at  New  Haven,  Ct., 
April  28,  in  his  82d  year.  Lucius  Bolles,  senior 
secretary  of  the  Baptist  board  of  foreign  missions, 
died  at  Boston,  Jan.  5,  aged  64.  Esek  Cowen,  judge 
of  the  superior  court  of  the  state  of  New  York,  died 
at  Albany,  Feb.  11,  aged  56.  Commodore  Alexan- 
der J.  Dallas,  U.  S.  N.,  died  on  board  of  the  frigate 
Constitution,  at  Callao,  June  8,  aged  about  55. 
Peter  S.  Duponceau  died  at  Philadelphia,  April  2, 
aged  84.  Levi  Hedge  died  at  Cambridge,  Mass., 
Jan.  3,  aged  78.  Asahel  Nettleton  died  at  East 
Windsor,  May  16,  aged  60.  William  L.  Stone  died 
at  Saratoga  Springs,  Aug.  15,  aged  52. 

1845.  Bill  for  the  reduction  of  postage,  passed  Feb.  27,  by  a 
vote  128  to  74.  Bill  for  the  annexation  of  Texas  to 
the  United  States,  passed  Feb.  27,  by  a vote  of  120 
to  98.  Revolution  in  Mexico,  in  which  Santa  Anna 
was  overthrown  as  president,  and  banished  from  the 
country  for  ten  years,  Feb.  Florida  was  admit- 
ted as  a State  in  the  Union,  March  1st.  James 
K.  Polk  was  inaugurated  as  president,  and  George 
M.  Dallas  as  vice-president,  of  the  United  States, 
March  4.  Isaac  C.  Bates,  senator  from  Massachu- 
setts, died  in  Washington,  March  16,  aged  66. 
Great  lire  at  Pittsburgh,  destroying  1200  buildings, 
in  the  most  valuable  part  of  the  city,  April  10. 
Two  great  fires  at  Quebec  ; the  first  on  the  28th  of 
May,  and  the  second  on  the  28th  of  June  ; in  both, 
8000  houses  were  consumed,  and  20,000  persons 
rendered  houseless.  Andrew  Jackson,  late  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  died  at  the  Hermitage, 
near  Nashville,  Tennessee,  June  8,  aged  78.  Fu- 
neral obsequies  took  place  at  New  York,  June  24th, 
attended  by  an  immense  concourse  of  people,  and  a 
eulogy  was  pronounced  by  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  But- 
ler, in  front  of  the  City  Hall.  July  19,  at  3 o’clock 
A.  M.,  commenced  the  most  disastrous  fire  which 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


26? 


ever  occurred  in  New-York,  excepting  the  unex- 
ampled  conflagration  of  Dec.,  1835,  extending  over 
20  acres,  in  the  south  part  of  the  city,  east  from 
Broadway,  destroying  268  buildings,  many  of  them 
valuable  stores  and  splendid  boarding  houses.  The 
merchandise  lost  was  valued  at  $2,000,000,  and  the 
whole  loss  at  $6,000,000  ; $4,439,000  of  which  was 
covered  by  insurance.  The  Ocean-house,  a large 
boarding-house  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  was  burned,  Aug. 
3.  July  4th,  the  Convention  of  Texas  accepts  the 
terms  of  “ annexation”  as  proposed  by  the  U.  S. 
Congress.  25th,  General  Taylor  arrives  at  St. 
Josephs’s  Island  with  the  U.  S.  “ Army  of  Occupa- 
tion,” and  soon  after  established  his  quarters  at  Corpus 
Christi,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rio  Nueces.  Thus  the 
U.  S.,  by  the  first  act,  assumes  the  Texan  dispute  with 
Mexico,  and  by  the  second,  (an  actual  invasion  of 
Mexico,)  declares  war  per  se  against  that  Republic. 
August  16th,  the  “ Great  Britain”  Steamship,  on  her 
first  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  arrives  at  New- 
York.  September  24th,  Buenos  Ayres  placed  under 
blockade  by  the  British  and  French  “ mediating ” 
squadrons.  Nov.  20th,  destruction  of  the  batteries 
of  the  Vuelta  de  Obligado  by  the  “ mediators ,”  and 
consequent  opening  of  the  Parana  to  commerce. 
Dec.  5th,  Texas  admitted  into  the  Union.  29th,  An 
act  passed  Congress  to  extend  the  laws  of  the  U.  S. 
over  Texas — and  31st,  Texas  constituted  a collec- 
tion district  of  the  U.  S. 

1846.  Jan.  1st,  Revolution  in  Mexico ; the  government  of 
Herrera  expelled  and  Paredes  proclaimed  President. 
Feb.  11th,  Great  battle  on  the  Sutlej,  in  India,  be- 
tween the  British  and  Sikh  armies.  23d,  Insurrec- 
tion in  Poland  put  down  by  the  Russians.  March 
1st,  Gen.  Riche,  President  of  Hayti.  28th,  Gen. 
Taylor  with  the  U.  S.  troops  encamps  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  Matamoras.  April 
27th,  the  U.  S.  Congress  resolves  to  terminate  the 
“ Joint  occupation  of  Oregon.”  Le  Compte  shoots 
at  the  K.  of  the  French,  for  which,  on  the  8th  June, 
he  was  guillotined.  May  3d,  the  Mexican  batteries 
at  Matamoras  are  opened  on  the  U.  S.  fortifications 


268  CHRONOLOGY 

A.  D. 

on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  ; the  firing  is  con- 
tinued for  7 days,  and  returned  by  the  Americans 
with  vigor  and  effect.  8th,  the  first  pitched  battle 
fought  between  the  Mexicans  and  Americans  at  Palo 
Alto.  9th,  battle  of  “ Resaca  de  la  Palma.”  In 
both  these  engagements  the  U.  S.  troops  were  vic- 
torious. The  force  of  Mexico  was  about  5,000, 
that  of  the  U.  S.  2,100.  In  the  two  battles  the 
Americans  had  48  killed,  126  wounded  and  7 
missing;  the  Mexican  loss,  killed,  wounded  and 
missing,  was  about  1,700;  besides  which,  large 
quantities  of  baggage,  artillery  and  ammunition  were 
captured.  12th,  the  war  recognized  by  Congress — 
$10,000,000  and  50,000  men  granted  for  prosecuting 
the  war.  18th,  General  Taylor  crosses  the  Rio 
Grande  and  takes  military  possession  of  Matamoros. 
— Vera  Cruz  placed  under  blockade  by  Commodore 
Connor.  19th,  Military  stations  established  on  the 
route  to  Oregon.  25th,  Princess  Helena  Augusta 
Victoria,  fifth  child  of  dueen  Victoria,  born.  26th, 
Prince  Louis  Napoleon  escapes  from  the  Castle  of 
Ham,  where  he  had  been  confined  for  three  years, 
for  a conspiracy  to  overthrow  the  reigning  family  of 
France.  June  1st,  Pope  Gregory  XVI.  dies.  12th, 
St.  John’s,  Newfoundland,  destroyed  by  fire.  18th, 
a treaty  for  the  equitable  division  of  “ Oregon”  rati- 
fied by  the  U.  S.  Senate.  21st,  Pope  Pius  IX.  in- 
augurated. 26th,  Sir  Robert  Peel  resigns  and  the 
British  Ministry  is  dissolved — Lord  John  Russell 
succeeds  to  the  Premiership.  July  3d,  U.  S.  Tariff 
bill  passes  the  House  of  Representatives,  (95  to  44.) 
6th,  Monterey,  California,  surrenders  to  Commodore 
Sloat.  9th,  Alexandria,  D.  C.  retroceded  to  Virginia. 
17th,  Ratifications  of  the  Oregon  treaty  exchanged 
at  London.  24th,  Louis  Bonaparte,  ex-King  of 
Holland,  died  at  Florence,  aet.  67.  28th,  U.  S.  Tariff 

bill  passed  the  Senate  (28  to  27.)  29th,  Louis 

Philip,  King  of  the  French,  shot  at  by  Joseph 
Henri.  August  1st,  Revolution  in  Mexico ; Paredes 
deposed  and  Santa  Anna  and  the  Constitution  of 
1824  proclaimed ; Salas  constituted  president  j vro- 
tempore . 6th,  Wisconsin  : an  act  passed  Congress 


A.  D. 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


269 


authorizing  this  Territory  to  form  a Constitution 
and  State  Government.  10th,  44  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution” established  by  act  of  U.  S.  Congress — U.  S. 
Congress  adjourns,  having  been  in  session  251  days. 
17th,  California  proclaimed  by  Captain  Stockton  a 
Territory  of  the  U.  S.  18th,  General  Kearney 
takes  peaceable  possession  of  Santa  Fe,  and  pro- 
claims New  Mexico  a Territory  of  the  U.  S.  — Santa 
Anna  returns  from  exile  and  lands  at  Vera  Cruz. 
Sep.  19th,  General  Taylor  arrives  before  Monterey, 
and  after  a siege  of  three  days  (22d,  23d  and  24th,) 
compels  the  Mexicans  under  Arnpudia  to  capitulate. 
23d,  the  Planet  Neptunus  first  seen  by  M.  Galle  at 
Berlin  in  conformity  with  the  computation  of  M. 
Le  Yerrier.  October  7th,  Revolutionary  movements 
against  the  government  of  Portugal.  17th,  great 
floods  on  the  Loire,  which  occasioned  much  loss  of 
life  and  property.  23d,  Tobasco  taken  by  Com. 
Perry — 30th,  Monclova  by  General  Wool,  and  Nov. 
14th,  Tampico  by  Commodore  Conner.  Oct.  — 
Le  Due  de  Montpensier,  son  of  the  King  of  the 
French,  married  to  the  Infanta  Luisa  of  Spain  : on 
which  occasion  a royal  amnesty  was  granted  to  politi- 
cal refugees,  &,c.  Nov.  26th,  loss  of  the  Steamboat 
Atlantic  on  Fisher’s  Island.  Dec.  1st,  U.  S.  Tariff 
goes  into  operation — Cracow,  the  last  remnant  of 
ancient  Poland,  is  annexed  to  Austria — Iowa  ad- 
mitted. 25th,  battle  of  Bracito  in  New  Mexico — 
The  potatoe  crop  throughout  Europe  has  extensively 
failed,  and  produced  famine  and  disease  in  many 
districts,  especially  in  Ireland  and  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland. 

Inventions  in  1846. — Gun  Cotton. 

Deaths  in  1846. — Henry  Inman,  artist,  aet.  44 — 
Dudley  Chase,  Judge  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  aet.  74 
— Samuel  Ringgold,  U.  S.  Artillery,  at  “ Palo  Alto” 
— Theodore  Dwight,  aet.  81 — Alexander  Barrow, 
United  States  Senator  from  Louisiana — Andrea 
Loudos,  the  Greek  patriot,  and  one  of  the  chiefs 
who  first  raised  the  standard  of  Independence  at 
Patros,  1821. 


270 


CHRONOLOGY 


A.  D. 

1847.  January  8th,  battle  of  San  Gabriel.  9th,  battle  of 
La  Mesa.  10th,  capture  of  Ciudad  de  los  Angelos, 
and  pacification  of  California.  11th,  sequestration 
of  Church  property  decreed  by  the  Mexican  Con- 
gress. 19th,  insurrection  in  New  Mexico.  21st, 
battle  of  the  Kye,  So.  Africa.  24th,  battle  of 
La  Canada.  29th,  battle  of  El  Embudo.  February 
1st,  the  town  of  Mora  razed.  3d,  battle  of  Puebla 
de  Taos.  22d,  23d,  battle  of  Buena  Vista.  26th, 
Revolution  in  Mexico  against  Gomez  Farias,  the 
acting  President,  commences ; the  seizure  of 
Church  property,  according  to  the  decree  of  13th 
Jan.,  being  the  cause — Civil  war  raged  in  the  Capi- 
tal until  the  23d  proximo,  when  Santa  Anna,  (who 
had  been  elected  President  24th  Dec.,  1846,)  assu- 
med the  functions  of  government.  27th,  Faustin 
Soulouque  elected  President  of  Hayti.  28th,  bat- 
tle of  Sacramento,  and  fall  of  Chihuahua.  March 
9th,  Main  division  of  Gen.  Scott’s  army  debark  at 
Vera  Cruz.  21st,  State  of  Guatemala  is  declared 
a separate  sovereign  Republic.  23d,  Santa  Anna 
inaugurated  Provisional  President  of  Mexico  ; Go- 
mez Farias  superseded,  and  the  revolution  in 
Mexico  suppressed.  24th,  bombardment  of  Vera 
Cruz — Insurrection  (Guzman’s)  in  Caraccas.  29th, 
Vera  Cruz  and  the  Castle  of  San  Juan  d’Ulloa  is 
surrendered  to  the  U.  S.  forces.  30th,  Alvarado 
and  Fla-co-talpan  surrender  to  the  U.  S.  April 
1st,  Don  Pedro  Maria  Anaya  elected,  (60  to  11,) 
President  Substitute  of  Mexico.  3d  and  4th,  Forts 
about  Canton  destroyed  by  the  British  ; Siamese 
navy  destroyed  by  the  French  in  the  Bay  of  Tou- 
ran.  5th,  Great  Fire  at  Bucharest,  in  Turkey,  de- 
stroys 2,000  houses  and  $16,000,000  of  property. 
11th,  First  Constitutional  Diet  of  Prussia  inaugu- 
rated at  Berlin.  15th,  Nicholas  P.  Trist  appoint- 
ed U.  S.  Commissioner  to  Mexico — Defeat  of  the 
Russians  at  Gingebel,  in  Daghestan.  17th,  18th, 
battle  of  Cerro  Gordo.  18th,  capture  of  Tuspan. 
20th,  Jalapa  surrenders  to  the  U.  S.  22d,  Castle 
of  Perote  captured.  May  1st,  Corner  Stone  of 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


271 


the  “ Smithsonian  Institution’’  laid  by  the  Presi- 
dent at  Washington  City— The  Constitutional  Con- 
gress of  the  new  “ Republic  of  Costa  Rica”  in- 
stalled. 15th,  the  advance  of  the  U.  S.  forces 
enters  Puebla.  17th,  Grain  in  London  at  its  maxi- 
mum price,  wheat  113s.  per  quarter.  18th,  a gen- 
eral armistice  between  the  Argentine  Republic 
and  Uruguay.  19th,  Santa  Anna  resumes  the  du- 
ties of  President  of  Mexico.  21st,  New  Mexican 
Constitution  promulgated— Convention  between 
the  British  and  Portuguese  signed  at  London  : the 
British  to  co-operate  with  Spain  and  Portugal 
against  the  Revolutionary  Junta.  26th,  the  perma- 
nent Independence  of  the  Leeward  group  of  the 
Society  Islands  officially  notified  by  the  French  and 
English.  June  1st,  the  “ Washington,”  the  pioneer 
of  the  U.  S.  Ocean  Mail  Steamships,  sailed  on  her 
first  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  from  New- York. 
6th,  a Conservative  Coalition  formed  among  the 
central  states  of  Mexico  to  resist  peace.  7th,  Ab- 
bott Lawrence,  of  Boston,  donates  to  the  Harvard 
University  $50,000  to  establish  a school  of  prac- 
tical science.  22d,  the  “ Union,”  pioneer  of  the 
French  line  of  Ocean  Mail  Steamships,  left  Cher- 
bourg for  New-York  on  her  first  voyage— Capture 
of  Tobasco.  26th,  the  Prussian  Diet  suddenly 
dissolved  by  the  king.  30th,  battle  of  Tamulte. 
July  5,  a Convention  for  the  Improvement  of 
Western  Waters  convened  at  Chicago,  Illinois — 
Blockade  of  the  Port  of  Oporto  raised  by  the  com- 
bined forces,  the  Revolutionary  Junta  having  dis- 
solved itself.  10th,  the  Chinese  Junk,  “Keying,” 
arrived  at  New-York,  being  the  first  vessel  of  the 
kind  ever  in  America.  12th,  battle  of  Rio  Cala- 
boosa,  near  Huajutla.  17th,  a Conspiracy  against 
the  Pope  of  Rome  exposed  and  defeated— The 
Austrians  occupy  Ferrara.  24th,  British  Parlia- 
ment dissolved ; during  the  session  189  Railway 
bills  were  passed.  Aug.  5th,  the  Bank  of  England 
raises  its  rate  of  discount  to  5J  per  cent. — Com- 
mencement of  the  Great  Financial  Revulsion  in 


272 


CHRONOLOGY 


Great  Britain.  7th,  10th,  the  American  army  leaves 
Puebla  and  advances  on  Mexico.  8th,  a Popular 
Insurrection  in  Milan.  10th,  battle  of  El  Passo  de 
Oveja.  14th,  Gen.  Mariano  Paredes  y Arrillaga, 
ex-President  of  Mexico,  arrives  incog . at  Vera 
Cruz,  in  the  British  Steamer,  and  escapes  to  the 
interior — This  occurs  on  the  anniversary  of  the 
return  of  Santa  Anna  in  1846— Indian  insurrec- 
tion and  massacre  in  Yucatan.  18th,  the  new  as- 
teriod,  “ Iris,”  discovered — Action  at  San  Angel. 
19th,  20th,  battle  of  Contreras,  San  Antonio,  and 
Churubusco — Conspiracy  against  the  British  at 
Lahore,  E.  Indies,  discovered — The  Helvetic  Diet 
decree  the  dissolution  of  the  Sonderbund.  23d, 
an  armistice  between  the  American  and  Mexican 
forces.  24th,  the  Colony  of  Liberia,  West  Africa, 
is  declared  an  independent  Republic.  27th,  Mexi- 
can Commissioners  appointed  by  Santa  Anna  to 
confer  with  the  U.  S.  Peace  Commissioner.  Sent. 
6th,  the  Commissioners,  unable  to  agree  on  terms 
of  peace,  separate — Return  of  Rae’s  overland  Ex- 
pedition from  the  Arctic  regions.  8th,  Hostilities 
recommence  in  the  valley  of  Mexico— Battle  of  El 
Molino  del  Rey.  10th,  eighteen  American  deser- 
ters hung  at  San  Angel.  12th,  13th,  bombardment 
and  capture  of  Chapultepec.  13th,  severe  fighting 
at  the  gates  and  citadel  of  Mexico.  14th,  the  U. 
S.  forces  enter  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  hoist  the 
“Stars  and  Stripes”  over  the  National  Palace. 
15th,  Martial  Law  proclaimed  in  the  city  of  Mexico, 
and  a military  contribution  ordered  of  the  Munici- 
pality— Don  Manuel  Pena  y Pena  is  appointed 
President  ad  interim , by  Santa  Anna.  18th,  by  a 
Royal  decree  Negro  Slavery  is  abolished  in  the 
Danish  West  Indies.  22d,  Santa  Anna  enters 
Puebla  with  his  army,  to  assist  the  citizens  in  en- 
deavoring to  expel  the  Americans  from  the  fortifi- 
cations commanding  that  city.  26th,  the  Russian 
General  Woronzoff  defeats  the  Circassians,  and 
takes  Salta.  27th,  the  rich  and  valuable  Library 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  Icelandic  Literature  is 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


273 


destroyed  by  fire  at  Copenhagen  ; 2,000  unpub- 
lished MSS.  were  burnt.  Oct . 1st,  Miss  Mitchell, 
(New-Haven,)  discovers  a Comet,  which  bears  her 
name.  2d,  Earthquake  at  Mexico.  4th,  battle  of 
Gingelli,  Algeria.  5th,  Mexican  Congress  con- 
venes at  Queretaro — N.  P.  Trist  formally  recalled 
from  Mexico- — Tremendous  storms  on  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  the  United  States — Earthquake  in  Chili 
and  Peru.  9th,  battle  of  Huamantla,  and  death  of 
Capt.  Walker — Annular  eclipse  of  the  Sun,  visible 
in  the  S.  and  W.  of  Europe,  the  first  since  1767. 
10th,  Lucca  ceded  to  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany. 
12th,  the  siege  of  Puebla  raised  after  an  ineffectual 
attempt  of  28  days  to  dislodge  the  Americans. 
17th,  Tixhalcal-cupala  laid  waste  by  the  Indians  of 
Yucatan,  and  the  inhabitants  murdered.  18th,  the 
asteriod  “ Flora”  discovered.  19th,  Corner  Stone 
of  the  “Washington  Monument”  laid  at  New- 
York  with  great  ceremony.  20th,  Capture  of 
Guaymas.  25th,  the  Bank  of  England,  on  the  re- 
commendation of  the  Ministry,  raises  its  interest 
on  discounts  to  8 per  cent.  26th,  Earthquake  at 
St.  Domingo.  Nov.  1st,  Cholera  appears  in  Mos- 
cow. 2d,  Earthquake  at  Porto  Rico.  4th,  Queen 
of  Portugal  delivered  of  a Prince.  7th,  Santa 
Anna  superseded  in  command  of  the  Mexican 
army  by  Gen.  Rincon.  8th,  the  Swiss  Diet  decree 
the  dissolution  of  the  Sonderbund  by  force  of  arms . 
11th,  Gen.  Don  Pedro  Maria  Anaya  is  elected 
President,  ad  interim,  of  the  Mexican  Republic. 
13th,  Girard  College,  Philadelphia,  finished.  15th, 
the  “ Consulta  di  Roma”  opened  by  the  Pope. 
16th,  battle  of  Valladolid,  Yucatan.  18th,  British 
Parliament  opened — Rt.  Hon.  Chas.  Shaw  Lefevre 
elected  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons — The 
Swiss  Canton  of  Valois  capitulates  to  the  Federal 
forces — The  “ Astor  Opera  House,”  New-York, 
opened.  22d,  battle  of  Gislikon,  Switzerland,  in 
which  the  Federal  forces  prevail — Lucerne  capitu- 
lates, and  the  cantons  of  Uri  and  Unterwalden 
submit.  27th,  Indian  Massacre  at  Tijosuco,  Yuca- 


.274 


CHRONOLOGY 


tan.  29th,  end  of  the  Civil  War  in  Switzerland, 
and  total  defeat  of  the  Sonderbund  ; the  Jesuits 
are  expelled — A Great  Meeting  of  the  citizens  of 
New-York  sympathize  with  the  Pope,  and  vote 
him  an  Address  and  Resolutions  on  the  noble 
stand  he  has  taken  for  the  Political  regeneration 
of  Italy.  Dec . 1st,  Bank  of  England  reduces  its 
discounts  from  8 to  6 per  cent.  6th,  the  30th 
Congress  of  the  U.  S.  convenes  at  Washington 
the  Hon.  Robert/  C.  Winthrop,  of  Mass.,  elected 
Speaker  of  the  ■ House  of  Representatives.  6th, 
9th,  tremendous  gales  on  the  coast  of  England. 
7th,  Theatres  of  London  are  closed,  the  Actors  be- 
ing generally  attacked  with  the  prevailing  “ Influ- 
enza/5 9th,  McClintock  Young  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  U.  S.  acting  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury.  10th,  severe  Earthquake  at  Santiago 
de  Cuba.  11th,  12th,  great  freshets  in  the  Wes- 
tern rivers  of  the  United  States.  13th,  Irish  Co- 
ercion Bill  passed  the  British  House  of  Commons, 
173  to  14.  20th,  u Shooting  Stars”  seen  in  profu- 

sion at  New-Haven.  22d,  Morse’s  Magnetic  Tele- 
graph in  operation  from  New-York  to  St.  Louis. 


Deaths  in  1847. — Isaac  S.  Pennybacker,  U.  S. 
Senator — Peter  R.  Livingston,  set.  81 — Henry 
Clay,  Jr.,  set.  36,  killed  at  Buena  Vista — Gen. 
Riche,  President  of  Hayti — Prince  Jules  de 
Polignac,  set.  67 — Jerome  Bonaparte — Prince  Mu- 
rat— Hon.  Geo.  C.  Dromgoole,  M.  C.  from  Vir- 
ginia— John  Revere,  M.  D. — Hon.  Daniel  O’Con- 
nell, set.  72 — Thomas  Chalmers,  D.  D.,  set.  69 — * 
Hon.  Alexander  H.  Everett,  U.  S.  Commissioner 
to  China — Hon.  Peter  G.  Stuyvesant— Hon.  Silas 
Wright — Brig.  Gen.  Enos  I).  Hopping — Brog- 
niart,  the  celebrated  Mineralogist — Hon.  Isaac 
Van  Zandt — Hon.  Jabez  Huntington,  U.  S.  Sena- 
tor— Geo.  H.  Colton,  Editor  of  the  American  Re- 
view— Robert  Liston,  the  eminent  Scottish  Sur- 


OF  THE  WORLD. 


275 


geon — -Hon.  James  Kent,  ex-Chancellor  of  New- 
York,  and  author  of  “ Commentaries,”  &c. — Dr. 
Dibdin,  the  celebrated  English  Bibliographer,  aet. 
72 — Hon.  John  Fairfield,  U.  S.  Senator — Hon. 
Jesse  Speight,  U.  S.  Senator— Major  William  Pop- 
ham,  President-General  of  the  Society  of  Cincin- 
nati, aet.  95 — Mendelssohn,  the  great  musical  com- 
poser— Rev.  William  Richards,  Minister  of  “ Pub- 
lic Instruction”  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  (Nov.  7,) 
and  for  many  years  a Missionary  of  the  Am. 
Board. 


CATALOGUE 


OF 

MAPS,  CHARTS, 

BOOKS,  &c. 


PUBLISHED  BY 


J.  H.  COLTON. 


No.  86  CEDAR  STREET 


NEW-YORK. 


1848 


CATALOGUE, 


Mounted. 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW- YORK,  with 
parts  of  the  adjacent  country,  embracing  plans  of 
the  Cities  and  some  of  the  larger  Villages.  By 
David  H.  Burr. — 6 sheets . .60  by  50  inches.  4,00 

MAP  OF  LONG  ISLAND,  with  the  environs  of  the 
City  of  New- York,  and  the  southern  part  of  Con- 
necticut. By  J.  Calvin  Smith. — 4 sheets.  .60  by  42  3.00 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  INDIANA,  compiled 
from  the  United  States  Surveys,  by  S.  D.  King; 
exhibiting  the  sections  and  fractional  sections,  situa- 
tion and  boundaries  of  Counties,  the  location  ol 
Cities,  Villages  and  Post  Offices — Canals,  Rail- 
roads and  other  internal  improvements,  &c.  &c. — 

6 sheets 66  by  48.  10,00 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  KENTUCKY.  By 

Dr.  Luke  Munsell. — 4 sheets 53  by  41.  5,00 

SECTIONAL  MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  ILLI- 
NOIS, compiled  from  the  United  States  Surveys. 

Also,  exhibiting  the  internal  improvements ; dis- 
tances between  Towns,  Villages  and  Post  Offices  ; 
the  outlines  of  prairies,  woodlands,  marshes,  and 
the  lands  donated  to  the  State  by  the  Gen.  Govern- 
ment, for  the  purpose  of  internal  improvements. 

By  J.  M.  Peck,  John  Messinger  and  A.  J.  Mathew- 

son. — 2 sheets 43  by  32.  2,50 

Portable , 1,50 

MAP  OF  THE  SURVEYED  PART  OF  THE 
STATE  OF  MICHIGAN.  By  John  Farmer.— 

1 sheet 35  by  25. 

Portable , 1,50. 


2,09 


Mounted 

MISSIONARY  MAP  OF  THE  WORLD,  pre- 
senting to  the  eye,  at  one  view,  the  moral  and 
religious  condition  of  the  world,  and  the  efforts  that 
are  now  making  for  its  evangelization.  It  is  so 
colored  that  all  the  principal  religions  of  the  World, 
with  the  countries  in  which  they  prevail,  and  their 
relation,  position  and  extent,  are  distinguished  at 
once,  together  with  the  principal  stations  of  the 
various  Missionary  Societies  in  our  own  and  other 
countries.  It  is  on  cloth,  each  hemisphere  six  feet 
in  diameter,  and  both  printed  on  one  piece  of  cloth 
at  one  impression , making  a map  with  borders  160 
by  80  inches,  and  so  finished  that  it  may  be  easily 
folded  and  conveyed  from  place  to  place,  and  sus- 
pended in  any  large  room.  160  by  80 10,00 

A CHRONOLOGICAL  VIE WOF  THE  WORLD, 
exhibiting  the  leading  events  of  Universal  History  ; 
the  origin  and  progress  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  the 
obituary  of  distinguished  men,  and  the  periods  in 
which  they  flourished,  together  with  an  account  of 
the  appearance  of  comets , and  a complete  view  of 
the  fall  of  meteoric  stones  in  all  ages,  collected 
chiefly  from  the  article  “ Chronology”  in  the  New 
Edinburgh  Enclycopedia,  edited  by  Sir  David  Brew- 
ster, LL.  D.,  F.  R.  S.,  with  an  enlarged  view  oj 
important  events , particularly  in  regard  to  American 
History,  and  a continuation  to  the  present  time, 
collected  from  authentic  sources,  by  Daniel  Haskell, 

A.  M.,  Editor  of  McCullochs’  Universal  Gazetteer, 
and  author  of  the  articles  relating  to  the  United 
States  in  the  American  edition,  pp.  267.. Book,  75c. 


A MAP  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  THE 
BRITISH  PROVINCES,  MEXICO  AND  THE 
WEST  INDIES,  showing  the  country  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Extraordinary 
pains  has  been  taken  to  make  this  Map  per- 
fectly reliable  and  authentic  in  ail  respects.  It  is 
engraved  on  steel  in  the  best  style  of  the  art, 
and  is  a very  perfect  Map  of  the  inhabited  por- 
tions of  North  America.  In  schools  and  semina- 
ries especially,  it  deserves  to  take  precedence  of 
all  Maps  heretofore  published  in  this  country. — 

4 sheets 62  by  55.  5,00 


Mounted. 

MAP  OF  THE  WEST  INDIES  AND  ADJA- 
CENT COASTS,  by  J.  Pinkerton,  London,  re- 
vised and  corrected  from  the  latest  authorities. — 

1 sheet, 32  by  25.  1,50 

Portable,  75c. 

MAP  OF  THE  WEST  INDIES,  WITH  PART 
OF  GUATEMALA.  By  David  H.  Burr.— 

1 sheet 26  by  22.  1,00 

Portable , 50c. 

MAP  OF  FRANCE,  BELGIUM,  and  the  adja- 
cent countries,  by  J.  Pinkerton,  London,  revised 
and  corrected  from  the  latest  authorities. — 


1 sheet 32  by  25.  3,50 

MAP  OF  MEXICO. — 2 sheets 44  by  32.  2,50 


Portable , 1,50. 

MAP  OF  THE  CITY  OF  BROOKLYN,  as  laid 
out  by  commissioners  and  confirmed  by  acts  of  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  New- York,  made  from 
actual  surveys  ; the  farm  lines  and  names  of  origi- 
nal owners  being  accurately  drawn  from  authentic 
sources.  Containing,  also,  a map  of  the  Village  oj 
Williamsburgh  and  part  of  the  City  of  New-  York , 

Ac.  8fc. — 2 sheets 48  by  36.  4,00 

MAP  OF  THE  COUNTRY,  THIRTY-THREE 
MILES  AROUND  THE  CITY  OF  NEW- 
YORK,  compiled  from  the  Maps  of  the  United 
States  Coast  Survey,  and  other  authorities. — . 

1 sheet 29  by  26.  1,50 

Portable,  75c. 

STREAM  OF  TIME,  OR  CHART  OF  UNI- 
VERSAL HISTORY,  from  the  original 
German  of  Strauss,  revised  by  D.  Haskell. — 

2 sheets 48  by  32.  2,50 

PORTRAITS  OF  THE  PRESIDENTS,  AND 
DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE.— 

1 sheet 42  by  31.  1,50 

A DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
LANDS  IN  IOWA,  being  a minute  description  ot 
every  section  and  quarter  section,  quality  of  soil, 


Mounted. 

groves  of  timber,  prairies,  ledges  of  rock,  coal  banks, 
iron  and  lead  ores,  water  falls,  mill-sites,  &c.  &c., 
with  a map  of  the  surveyed  part  of  Iowa,  exhibiting 
the  sections,  townships  and  ranges,  compiled  from 
the  United  States  Surveys.  By  Jesse  Williams. 

— 1 sheet 32  by  22. 

Book  and  Map , Port  able , 1,50. 

SKETCHESOF  IOWA,  ORTHE  EMIGRANTS’ 
GUIDE  ; containing  a correct  description  of  the 
agricultural  and  mineral  resources,  geological  fea- 
tures, and  statistics  of  the  territory  of  Iowa.  A 
minute  description  of  each  county  and  of  the  prin- 
cipal Towns  and  Indian  Villages,  prairies  and  tim- 
bered lands,  &c.  &c.  ; with  a map,  compiled  from 
the  United  States  Surveys,  exhibiting  the  bounda- 
ries of  Counties,  Township  lines,  prairies  and  timber 
lands,  &e.  &e. — 1 sheet 21  by  16. 

Book  and  Map , 1,50. 

THE  TRAVELLERS’  DIRECTORY  FOR 
ILLINOIS,  containing  accurate  sketches  of  the 
State,  a particular  description  of  each  county  and 
important  business  town,  a list  of  the  principal 
roads,  stage  and  steamboat  routes,  land  offices,  tracts 
of  land  unoccupied,  a description  of  the  timbered 
and  prairie  portions  of  the  state — the  rivers,  miner- 
als, animals,  internal  improvements,  climate  and 
seasons,  &c.  &c.,  with  a Map  of  Illinois,  compiled 
from  the  United  States  Surveys,  exhibiting  the 
sections  with  internal  improvements,  distances  be- 
tween towns,  villages  and  post  offices.  By  J.  M. 

Peck  and  John  Messenger. — 1 sheet 35  by  25. 

Book  and  Map , 1,50. 

IHE  WESTERN  TOURIST  AND  EMI- 
GRANTS’ GUIDE,  through  the  States  of  Ohio, 
Michigan,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri,  and  the 
Territories  of  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  being  an  accu- 
rate and  concise  description  of  each  state,  territory 
and  county,  with  a Map,  showing  the  township* 
lines  of  the  United  States  Surveys,  the  boundaries 
of  counties,  position  of  villages,  &c.  By  J.  Calvin 
Smith. — 1 sheet .23  by  21. 

Book  and  Map , 1,00. 


Mounted. 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  MICHIGAN  AND 
TERRITORY  OF  WISCONSIN,  with  parts  of 
Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois.  By  John  Farmer. — 

2 sheets 36  by  26. 

Portable , 1,00. 

MAP  OF  PALESTINE,  from  the  latest  authorities, 
chiefly  from  the  Maps  and  drawings  of  Robinson 
and  Smith,  with  corrections  and  additions  furnished 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  Robinson,  with  plans  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  Journeyings  of  the  Israelites. — 

4 sheets 80  by  62.  6,00 

MAP  OF  PALESTINE,  from  the  latest  authorities, 
chiefly  from  the  Maps  and  drawings  of  Robinson 
and  Smith,  with  corrections  and  additions  furnished 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  Robinson,  with  a plan  of 
Jerusalem , and  of  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem 

2 sheets 43  by  32.  2,50 

Portable,  1,50. 

MAP  OF  EGYPT,  THE  PENINSULA  OF  MT. 
SINAI,  ARABIA  PETREA,  with  the  southern 
part  of  Palestine,  compiled  from  the  latest  au- 
thorities ; showing  the  Journeyings  of  the  Chil- 
dren of  Israel  from  Egypt  to  the  Holy  Land. — 

1 sheet 32  by  25.  1,50 

MAP  OF  EUROPE,  by  J.  Pinkerton,  London,  re- 
vised and  corrected  from  the  latest  authorities. — 

1 sheet 32  by  25.  1,50 

MAP  OF  ASIA,  by  J.  Pinkerton,  London,  revised 
and  corrected  from  the  latest  authorities. — 

1 sheet 32  by  25.  1,50 

MAP  OF  AFRICA,  by  J.  Pinkerton,  London,  re- 
vised and  corrected  from  the  latest  authorities. — 

1 sheet - 32  by  25.  1,50 

MAP  OF  NORTH  AMERICA,  from  the  latest 

authorities. — 1 sheet 29  by  26.  1,25 

Portable , 75c. 


MAP  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA,  by  J.  Pinkerton, 
London,  revised  and  corrected  from  the  latest 
authorities. — 1 sheet 32  by  25. 


1,50 


Mounted. 


MAP  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  THE 
BRITISH  PROVINCES,  with  parts  of  Mex- 
ico and  the  West  Indies.— 4 sheets 48  by  38. 

AN  ILLUSTRATED  MAP  OF  HUMAN 
LIFE,  deduced  from  passages  of  sacred  Writ. — 
1 sheet . 25  by  20. 

THE  FAMILY  AND  SCHOOL  MONITOR, 
an  Educational  Chart,  by  James  Henry,  Jr.  In 
this  Chart  the  fundamental  maxims  in  Education, 
Physical,  Moral  and  Intellectual,  are  presented 
in  such  a manner,  as  to  fix  the  attention  and  im- 
press the  memory.  It  cannot  fail  to  be  emi- 
nently useful ; indeed,  we  believe  the  public 
will  regard  it  as  indispensable  to  every  family  and 
school  in  our  country. — 2 sheets 42  by  32. 

MAP  OF  THE  COUNTRIES  MENTIONED 
IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT,  AND  THE 
TRAVELS  OF  THE  APOSTLES,  with  An- 
cient and  Modern  Names,  from  the  most  authen- 
tic sources. — 1 sheet. 32  by  25. 

MAP  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AME- 
RICA, THE  BRITISH  PROVINCES, 
MEXICO,  THE  WEST  INDIES  AND 
CENTRAL  AMERICA,  WITH  PARTS 
OF  NEW  GRANADA  AND  VENEZUE- 
LA. This  Map  has  been  most  carefully  com- 
piled, and  contains  much  new  and  interesting  in- 
formation. It  is  highly  embellished,  and  beauti- 
fully engraved  on  steel. — 2 sheets 45  by  36. 

JOHNSON’S  ILLUSTRATED  AND  EMBEL- 
LISHED STEEL  PLATE  MAP  OF  THE 
WORLD,  ON  MERCATOR’S  PROJEC- 
TION, exhibiting  the  recent  Arctic  and  Antarc- 
tic Discoveries  and  Explorations,  &c.  &c. — 

6 sheets . . 80  by  60. 

MAP  OF  THE  CITY  AND  COUNTY  OF 
NEW-YORK,  BROOKLYN,  WILLIAMS- 
BURGH,  JERSEY  CITY,  AND  THE  AD- 
JACENT WATERS.— 3 plates. ...  .56  by  32. 


2,00 

75 

1.50 
1,25 

2.50 
* 10,00 


3,00 


•••*.■  ; -“Vv 

. • -•  ■« 


* 


/ ‘ * 


* 


■ 


c 


GETTY  RESEARCH  INSTITUTE 


3 3125  01498  2413 


